March 3, 2017
SAN DIEGO --
Game Week Preview
Boston University (1-2, 0-0 Patriot League) at San Diego State (2-2, 0-1 MPSF)
Sunday, March 5 | Noon PT | Aztec Lacrosse Field | San Diego, Calif.
Live Stats | Watch
Aztec Storylines
* Fresh off a pair of road victories, the San Diego State lacrosse team opens a season-long seven-game homestand on Sunday when it welcomes Boston University to Aztec Lacrosse Field for a non-conference tilt, starting at noon PT. In addition to live stats, a link to streaming video will also be available on GoAztecs.com.
* SDSU evened its record at 2-2 last weekend after posting an 11-7 triumph at Michigan on Feb.24, followed by an 18-7 conquest of Detroit Mercy on Feb. 26. The Aztecs never trailed in either contest, sweeping a two-game road trip for the first time since 2014.
* As a team, SDSU outshot its two opponents by a combined margin of 66-48, including a 53-35 advantage in shots on goal. The Aztecs also maintained the upper hand in ground balls (53-32), caused turnovers (29-20) and draw controls (24-22) for the weekend. In addition, the Scarlet and Black converted 7 of 12 free position shots and was 39-45 in clear attempts (.867).
* Offensively, SDSU was led by senior trio of Alex Watson, Vickie Porter and Kristen Hickey, who combined for 17 of the team's 29 goals in the two victories. Against Michigan, Watson came off the bench to score a career-high five goals on five shots, including two in a 25-second span during the first half that broke a 2-2 tie and put the Aztecs up for good, while Hickey and Porter finished with two tallies apiece.
* Two days later at Detroit Mercy, SDSU received goals from 11 different players en route to its highest scoring output since pinning a 20-14 defeat on California in 2015. Watson and Porter led the Aztec charge with three goals apiece, while fellow classmate Erin Jeffery finished with two markers of her own, along with sophomore Natalie Peel and freshman Taylor Sullivan. Another freshman, Ryli Quinn, also got into the act with a game-high five draw controls, while Hickey finished with four ground balls, joining senior goalkeeper Katrina Reeves and junior Mackenzie Lech.
* Reeves capped off the stellar road trip by collecting her third career Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Defensive Player of the Week accolade. The Granite Bay, Calif., native played in all 120 minutes, posting 21 saves to go with a .600 save percentage and a 7.00 goals against average. She also led the team with eight ground balls for the weekend and caused five turnovers. Against Michigan, Reeves notched a season-high 12 saves, including eight in the first half, as the Aztecs built an 8-3 lead by intermission. She also registered nine additional stops at UDM, including seven in the second half to help keep the Titans off the scoreboard for the final 21:09 of the contest.
* Reeves' award gives San Diego State three conference weekly honorees this year already. On Feb. 6, Hickey was selected MPSF Offensive Player of the Week, while Sullivan was tabbed Rookie of the Week.
* Sullivan leads the Aztecs' talented freshman class this season with five goals, which is tied for fourth on the team. The Annapolis, Md., product also ranks fifth on the squad with 12 shots, including six on frame, while notching two ground balls, one assist, one draw control and one caused turnover.
* Sunday's clash with Boston University marks the first-ever meeting between the two schools. San Diego State has faced just two Patriot League members in its history, both on the road. The Aztecs dropped a tough 17-14 decision at Lafayette during the program's inaugural season in 2012, followed by a 14-9 setback at Navy in 2014.
* Through four games, Porter has been the Aztecs' leading scorer, posting 10 goals on 21 shots, highlighted by hat tricks at Oregon and Detroit Mercy. In addition, Hickey and Watson have amassed eight markers apiece, while Peel, Sullivan and senior Kayla Deitz have scored five each. After last weekend, Hickey is tied for the conference lead with five free position goals. She also boasts a team-high 22 shots, which is tied for eighth in the MPSF, while her 10 ground balls is tied for ninth, along with Lech.
* As a team, SDSU tops the MPSF with an average of 22.75 ground balls and 13.25 caused turnovers per game, while ranking third with 28.50 shots per contest. The Aztecs are also 15-for-28 on the year in free position shots and are 58-66 in clears (.879).
* In front of the net, Reeves ranks fifth among league goaltenders so far this year with a .500 save percentage and a 10.00 goals against average playing in all 240 minutes for the Scarlet and Black. Last season, Reeves split keeper duties with Katie Merritt, with the Aztec duo allowing the second-fewest goals in program history (190).
* SDSU will play a program-record 10 home games this year, including an action-packed March that features seven dates at Aztec Lacrosse Field alone. Beginning with Sunday's clash against Boston University, the Scarlet and Black will tangle with four consecutive eastern foes on The Mesa, followed by Saint Joseph's (March 10), New Hampshire (March 15) and Columbia (March 18), while Saint Mary's (March 24) and California (March 26) invade "America's Finest City", before a visit by Brown (March 31) rounds out the busy month.
* San Diego State was picked to finish sixth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2017, as the league released its annual preseason coaches' poll on Jan. 24. The Aztecs received 28 points in the balloting, which was completed by the conference's nine head coaches. SDSU landed in the sixth position, eight points behind fifth-place UC Davis (36 pts.) and five points ahead of seventh-place California (23 pts). Reigning MPSF champion and NCAA quarterfinalist USC was predicted to defend its MPSF title from a year ago, garnering 64 points and eight first-place votes, while league finalist and NCAA Tournament participant Stanford was pegged for the runner-up slot after netting 56 points and one first-place vote. Colorado, which took third in the conference race last season, was projected for the same finish in 2017 after earning 51 points, while Oregon wound up fourth in the poll with 38 points.
* SDSU has once again inked a talented recruiting class for the 2017 season. Highlighting the newcomers are two high school All-Americans and a pair of all-state performers, nine all-conference selections, three all-section/district honorees, one all-county pick and one player of the year award recipient.
* The program's only coach after lacrosse became the 19th intercollegiate sport at San Diego State in 2012, Kylee White is now in her sixth season at the helm of the Aztecs. She has transformed SDSU's fledgling program to a strong competitor in the MPSF, highlighted by consecutive conference tournament appearances in 2014 and 2015. In November 2016, White was inducted into the London (Ontario) Sports Hall of Fame after becoming the only women's lacrosse player to represent Canada in each of the last three decades. In 1995, she played on the inaugural U-19 Canadian National Team and later served as an assistant for the squad in 2007. White also played for Team Canada at four IFWLA World Cups (2001, 2005, 2009, 2013), helping the 2013 team to a silver medal. A four-year letterwinner at Ohio State, White was a four-time Buckeye scholar-athlete honoree and a Big Ten all-academic performer on three occasions. She co-captained the 2002 squad to an 11-5 record and a runner-up finish in the American Lacrosse Conference, helping Ohio State claim its first NCAA berth. White caused 28 turnovers in 2001 and still ranks among the OSU all-time leaders in caused turnovers and ground balls.
Opponent Notebook
Boston University
Following a 13-11 setback at No. 13/17 Boston College in their season opener on Feb. 15, the Terriers (1-2) have split their first two home games of the year, knocking off UMass-Lowell by a 12-7 count on Feb. 25, before dropping a 19-7 decision to Dartmouth last Wednesday. BU is led by senior Elisabeth Jayne (8 goals, 2 assists) and junior Avery Donohoe (6 goals, 2 assists), who have racked up 10 points apiece, while senior Taylor Hardison has recorded a team-high six assists. Senior goalkeeper Caroline Meegan, who was a second-team all-Patriot League selection last year, has played the majority of the minutes in front of the cage this season, compiling a .507 save percentage and a 14.95 goals against average. As a team, BU is averaging 32.3 shots, 16.6 ground balls and 8.3 caused turnovers per game. The Terriers are just 3-23 (.130) on free position shots and are 44-61 (.721) on clears. Head coach Liz Robertshaw, who is in her 11th season at the helm of the BU program, has guided the Terriers 110 wins and four conference titles during her tenure.