Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Ready For MPSF Showdown With USC
April 14, 2017 | Lacrosse, Neill Woelk
LOS ANGELES — Call them the best-kept secret — and maybe the best story — in college sports this year.
In just their fourth season of existence, the Colorado Buffaloes have positioned themselves as one of the best women's lacrosse teams in the nation — and Friday evening, they could add another chapter to the tale when they square off with USC in a 6 p.m. game (Pac-12 Networks).
In a season already brimming with big games and big moments, Friday's matchup deserves to at least be in the conversation when it comes to the biggest games in program history.
Consider:
- The game will be played at the Los Angeles Coliseum, without question the biggest stage — literally and figuratively — the Buffs have seen.
- The Buffs are 12-1 overall, 4-0 in MPSF play and ranked fifth in the nation in two of three national polls (sixth in the other). USC, meanwhile, is 11-3 overall, 5-0 in the MPSF and is ranked ninth in two polls and 10th in another.
- The Trojans are the defending MPSF regular season and tournament champions; the Buffs have yet to make it past the conference tournament semifinals in their first three years.
- USC has the nation's top-ranked defense, allowing just 6.57 goals per game. The Buffs are No. 2 in scoring defense, yielding just 7.15 per contest.
- On the offensive end, USC is seventh in the nation, averaging 15.54 goals per game while the Buffs are 13th, averaging 14.85.
- The Buffs opened their season this year with an 11-10 overtime win over No. 9 Northwestern. Six days later, USC beat Northwestern — in overtime, by an identical 11-10 score. Both teams also lost to Stony Brook earlier this year.
- The Trojans have won 31 of their last 35 games, a stretch that includes 15 straight MPSF regular-season games. They have also won their last 22 at home, including their last two at the Coliseum.
- Colorado coach Ann Elliott and USC coach Lindsey Munday are former teammates at Northwestern, where they played together on two national championship teams (Elliott played on another after Munday graduated). Munday became the first USC coach in program history when the Trojans started their program in 2013; Elliott became CU's first coach when the Buffs started their program in 2014.
Get the picture? As Elliott's Buffs continue to gain national notoriety — CU is 4-1 against top-20 teams this year — Friday's game is simply another step on what has been a rapid ascent up the ladder of respectability.
Elliott is confident that her players are ready for the challenge.
"All season long we've focused on one game at a time," she said. "Our girls are excited about every opportunity they have. They want to play in this type of game. They want to be going into USC on senior day in the Coliseum. That's an exciting part for us — that's an opportunity you work for and we're excited about that challenge. I think they're ready."
The Buffs left Boulder on Thursday and practiced Thursday evening in the Coliseum.
"We'll give them some time to make sure they realize we're in the Coliseum and so when we come back on game day, it will be about the game and not getting distracted by anything else," Elliott said.
The matchup has all the makings of strength vs. strength. The Trojans have the No. 1 defense in the nation; the Buffs are No. 2. Both have top-20 offenses.
"I'm not sure if they're better defensively or offensively, in all honesty," Elliott said. "They're strong all over the field. We know we have to do a good job on defense to keep ourselves in the game and we have to do a good job on the draws to make sure we have possession of the ball. Then we have to rely on our offense to make good decisions and capitalize on opportunities that we have."
The Buffs are coming off a 13-8 win over Stanford, CU's first win over the Cardinal in seven tries. Colorado survived a 31-minute scoring drought in the contest, something the Buffs can't afford against the Trojans.
"There was a little confusion across the board on our offense," Elliott said. "Hopefully we've sorted that out this week in practice. We know USC is going to be a big challenge for us. But they're going to put the same type of pressure in certain spots. Hopefully we're now at least on the same page. That's the biggest thing for our offense. As long as we're on the same page, we're going to be in position to try to make plays."
The Trojans are led by 2015 MPSF Player of the Year and two-time All-American Michaela Michael. The senior attacker is USC's all-time leader in goals scores (209), with 53 of those coming this year — more than twice as many as any other Trojan.
The Buffs, meanwhile, depend on a much more balanced attack, with five different players with at least 20 goals. Darby Kiernan leads CU with 35 goals this year, followed by Johnna Fusco (32), Katie Macleay (27), Cali Castagnola (23) and Carly Cox (20).
The key, Elliott said, will creating opportunities against USC's defense and then taking advantage.
"They do the little things really well," Elliott said. "They're aggressive in their zone and put a lot of pressure on you, but they do it in a way that doesn't really give you any other opportunities when you get out of the pressure."
The Buffs are 1-2 all-time against the Trojans. Colorado scored a 12-11 overtime win in their first meeting in 2014, but lost the last two. Last year, the Buffs dropped a narrow 9-8 decision when a last-minute goal by the Buffs was disallowed and was quickly followed by the game-winning goal from USC.
"It's incredibly exciting and it's a great opportunity for us," Elliott said. "What an incredible place to get to play against such a great team in USC. We're really excited about the opportunity."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
