The most successful season in San Diego State lacrosse history has come to an end.
SDSU (9-8, 5-5 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) made it to the MPSF Tournament, earning a No. 5 seed. It would have to play University of Colorado (11-6) to advance to its first MPSF semifinals appearance.
Colorado, however, had other plans.
The Buffaloes used a 10-0 run to put an end to the Aztecs’ season with a 15-6 victory.
The game started out promising for SDSU. Two early goals by senior midfielder Grace Korandovich and junior attacker Andrea Killebrew had the Aztecs tied 2-2.
It looked to be another close game with Colorado, whom the Aztecs had lost the previous two meetings against by just one goal.
With 16:08 left in the first period, Colorado freshman midfielder Darby Kiernan scored her third goal of the game. From there, the Buffaloes unleashed a 10-goal outburst that left the veteran Aztecs in the dust.
Kiernan added two more during the run, leading all scorers on the day with five goals, bringing her season total to 50.
Sophomore attackers Johnna Fusco and Katie Macleay each added three goals for Colorado.
By halftime, the deficit was 9-2. By the end of the run, which was finalized by a goal from Colorado sophomore midfielder Tori Link, the Buffaloes led 12-2 with 22:32 remaining in the game.
“They were determined to get to the goal,” head coach Kylee White said of Colorado. “And they weren’t going to let anybody stop them. They drove very hard and our girls were not able to slide in time to give our goalie the help she needed.”
SDSU finally ended the scoreless streak when senior attacker Michaela Jarvis scored at the 21:19 mark in the second half.
At this point, the rain was coming down hard, which slowed down the offense. But the game was already decided.
Sophomore midfielder Vickie Porter and junior midfielder Alexa Comfort each reached the 20-goal mark for the season, with Comfort adding two goals to get the Aztecs to six goals.
The Buffaloes put a period on the contest with a score with 6:19 left in the game, ending its big offensive day with a 15-6 win.
White was disappointed with the result, but also proud of her team.
“In the beginning we were playing not to lose, (we) were afraid to lose,” she said. “But one thing my staff and I are always so proud of is our team still competes to the very end. I don’t think we ever give up, we just had moments, like 30-40 minutes, of giving them the advantage and we couldn’t fight back. We didn’t have enough time.”
The Aztecs committed 10 turnovers in the first half — 19 total — while only forcing four turnovers. SDSU only got off nine shots in the first period, as well, allowing 15 by Colorado.
The slow start proved too much to overcome on this day, as the season came to an end for the Aztecs.
White is already looking ahead to next year.
“We have set the bar higher for the next few years to come,” she said. “We will pick apart our strengths and weaknesses to make a game plan for the fall of how to get these 12 freshmen coming in integrated, and continue the legacy the seniors have built.”
