(Photo: Karli Mathias/WCSN)
Courtney Martinez Connor hectically marched around the ASU Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium, relaying orders to her players and directing them around the field.
The Sun Devils’ women’s lacrosse coach was trying to orchestrate a youth lacrosse clinic on Saturday afternoon, a task that looked more complex than ASU’s easy 23-5 win that had preceded it, the first-year program landing a decisive victory in its first-ever home game.
“It felt good,” Martinez Connor said, sparing a quick postgame moment while setting up for the youth clinic. “I think the girls were excited to finally play at home and get over the jitters of playing in front of a home crowd. Every time you’re able to play in front of your home state, we’re going to do some wonderful things and we’re going to make some mistakes. But I think overall we are certainly proud of the girls’ effort out on the field.”
The Sun Devils fifth win of the season was a full-team effort. Eleven different players scored, including a 6-goal effort from freshman attacker Taylor Carson, who started the game on the bench.
“I don’t think a first-year program would start out this way,” Carson said of the team’s 5-1 start to its inaugural season. “I think we can play against many good teams and show them that we are better than they think we are.”
ASU’s leading scorer Kerri Clayton found the back of the cage three times in the opening three minutes – giving her 27 total goals this season – before others in ASU’s attack took over.
“Just knowing that they are coming in and they are competing still when they are ready, when they come off the bench is exciting to know we are a well-rounded team,” Clayton said.
The Sun Devils dominated the final stats, outshooting the Blue Hose 45-11, winning 20 of 28 draws and collecting 17 ground balls. Goalkeepers Berkeley Bonneau and Sophia Thomas combined to make five saves as well.
Freshman midfielder Emily Glagolev and sophomore midfielder Avery Hamill also recorded hat tricks in the rout. By the end, 32 different Sun Devils had taken the field.
“The opportunities to get everyone playing are few and far between and the fact that we were able to do that in our very first home game was super exciting and important,” Martinez Connor said.
Though impressive, the victory against Presbyterian was only part of the home-opener festivities. The Sun Devils hosted a youth clinic following the game, where dozens of local players were able to take the same field the upstart program plays on. It meant Martinez Connor’s and her players’ work was far from done when the blowout ended.
“To give back to the community is a very important part of any college program,” Martinez Connor said. “Especially a brand new one where we want to help grow the sport in Arizona. To be a part of, hopefully, helping it become a high school sanctioned sport and having more youth programs grow. The more exposure they have to the sport and clinics like this. Hopefully, we will be able to be a part of that.”
It was a special moment and unique opportunity for the players who chose to come to Tempe to help build the new program.
“There’s a lot of girls here, so it’s nice to see that maybe they are looking up to us and we can show them new things,” Carson said.
Added Clayton: “Growing the sport is really cool. There is a good turnout today for a Saturday afternoon. It’s really nice.”
