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Watson leads Aztecs with five goals
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo: Alex Watson courtesy goaztecs.com
February 24, 2017 (Ann Arbor, Mich.) - Bolstered by senior Alex Watson’s career-high five goals, the San Diego State lacrosse team registered its first victory of the year with an 11-7 triumph over Michigan Friday in a non-conference road game at Oosterbaan Field House.
The Aztecs (1-2) also received three goals from senior Kristen Hickey, while fellow classmate Vicki Porter added a pair of tallies of her own to help keep the Wolverines (0-4) winless on the year. Senior goalkeeper Katrina Reeves led a strong defensive effort for the Scarlet and Black, posting 12 saves, including eight in the first half, to go with four ground balls and four caused turnovers.
The two teams alternated scores through the first 10 minutes of the contest, before Watson put the visitors ahead to stay, 4-2, with a pair of unassisted goals just 25 seconds apart, following consecutive draw controls by sophomore Grace McGinty and freshman Morgan Taylor, respectively.
Michigan narrowed the gap to 4-3 on Tess Korten’s free position shot with 17:28 remaining in the period, but could pull no closer as the Aztecs unleashed a 5-0 blitz to build an insurmountable 9-3 advantage by the 28:26 mark of the second half.
Watson sparked the run with three additional goals, including two from the free position, while junior Elizabeth Rourke found the back of the net for the first time this year off an assist by sophomore Natalie Peel. Hickey, who led SDSU with eight shots for the game, also converted another free position attempt before intermission.
The Wolverines ended their scoring drought with a pair of goals from Allie Breitfeller and Adriana Pendino in the sixth minute of the second half, but the Aztecs responded with a strike by Porter shortly thereafter to reclaim a five-goal lead at 10-5 with 21:43 left on the clock.
Michigan trimmed the margin to 10-7 on tallies by Natalie Carti and Chandler Kirby, but SDSU clamped down and kept the host school of the scoreboard for the final 7:10, with Hickey’s goal at the 1:31 mark providing the contest its final score.
Despite a 12-8 deficit in draw controls, the Aztecs outshot the Wolverines 26-25 and maintained a 19-14 advantage in ground balls, including four by sophomore Harlowe Steele, who tied Reeves for game-high honors.
San Diego State returns to action on Sunday, Feb. 26, when it battles Detroit Mercy at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich. Game time is set for noon ET/ 9 a.m. PT.
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