Sun Devil Athletics
HomeHome
Loading

Sun Devils Silence Lions in Second Half; Win in 15-12 Comeback Victory

Sun Devils Silence Lions in Second Half; Win in 15-12 Comeback VictorySun Devils Silence Lions in Second Half; Win in 15-12 Comeback Victory
Kyle Hess - Kennesaw State Athletics
NEW YORK – Down 7-1 midway through the first half, the Arizona State lacrosse team (4-1) went on a 14-5 run the next 45 minutes to defeat the Columbia Lions (1-3), 15-12, Monday afternoon at Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium.

"Our team showed a lot of heart and determination overcoming a large deficit in the first half," said head coach Courtney Martinez Connor. "I'm impressed with our young team's poise as this experience was brand new to them as this was just our fifth game ever. Starting on the road for the first three weeks of the season was certainly difficult but the girls showed that they are able to overcome different types of adversity. They are still learning and growing through every experience but we're excited to be back in Tempe this weekend."

Freshman Emily Glagolev got things going for the Sun Devils, scoring the first goal for the team and going on to score twice more in the second half as the team went on a 6-0 run in the last 20 minutes. Junior co-captain Kerri Clayton continued the offensive push for the Sun Devils, scoring five total goals in the game, bringing her season total to 23, the most of any scorer in the NCAA.
 
Freshmen Maddy Hunter, Julia Burns and Taylor Carson each added two goals for the Sun Devils, while fellow freshman Graci Fulkerson had four assists and a goal to be the sixth different scorer on the team.

"The offense did a great job of managing their time with the ball and getting everyone involved. They continue to prove they're all a threat with or without the ball," added Martinez Connor. 

While the defense had a slow start, they never gave up and only allowed five additional goals in the last 45 minutes. In the second half, the Sun Devils outscored the Lions 8-2 and picked up 15 ground balls to the Lions' five. It can be counted in the record books as the biggest come-from-behind victory in program history. 

"We showed a lot of grit especially in the second half, holding their offense to just two goals. We picked up the intensity and were forcing a lot of turnovers. We made several adjustments in controlling the tempo of the game on both sides of the ball and at the draw which was crucial to coming out on top," Martinez Connor noted. 

Hunter continued to build on her strong defensive performance from the previous four games, picking up five ground balls and six draw controls and causing a team-high six Lion turnovers.
 
Junior defensive co-captain Rachel Gregory recorded a career high five draw controls and had one ground ball and one caused turnover. Four additional Sun Devils also caused Lion turnovers.
 
Goalkeepers Berkeley Bonneau and Sophia Thomas combined for eight saves. Bonneau earned the win while picking up two ground balls and causing a crucial Lion turnover. Thomas also picked up her first career ground ball.
 
Up next, the Sun Devils finally get to showcase their hard work to all of Tempe in the friendly confines of Sun Devil Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium. The home opener against Presbyterian is on Saturday March 3 with a 3 p.m. MST first draw. Tickets are free for all fans. There will be autographs from the team and a free post-game clinic for all kids age K-8. The game will also be streamed live on pac-12.com/live for fans unable to attend.