No. 16 Clemson closed out a turbulent month on Saturday with a 19-3 win over California on Senior Day.
The Tigers (9-4, 4-2 ACC) started the season 6-0 before a four-game skid against No. 13 Duke, Mercer, No. 2 North Carolina and No. 7 Florida. With this weekend’s win, they have now won three games in a row.
It was a week of accolades, records and celebration at the Clemson Lacrosse Complex. Earlier in the week, four Tigers were recognized on the Inside Lacrosse Midseason All-American list. Natalie Shurtleff and Summer Agostino were selected as third-teamers, while Kayla MacLeod and Kira Balis were selected as honorable mentions.
In the win against Albany, freshman attacker Brooke Goldstein broke the single-season assist record with her 21st assist. Balis became the second Clemson player to reach 100 draw controls in a season, doing so in only 12 games.
On Saturday, the Tigers celebrated the nine seniors on their roster. The seniors, graduates and graduate transfers that were honored, in alphabetical order, were Summer Agostino, Katie Castiello, Lexi Edmonds, Demma Hall, Erin Hickey, Maggie Jordan, Emily Lamparter, Lindsey Marshall and Bryce Pfundstein.
During the game, Balis set the program’s single-season draw control record with 109 midway through the second quarter. Goldstein tallied two goals and two assists, which brought the total for her single-season assist record to 24. Marshall eclipsed 200 career points early in the first quarter, finishing the day with a team-high five goals and one assist.
The Golden Bears (5-7, 0-6 ACC) fought for the draw control all game long, resulting in both teams grabbing 12 of the 24 draw controls on the day.
California’s Courtney Wong grabbed a team-high six draw controls, providing multiple offensive opportunities for her team. Despite the many possessions faced, the Clemson defense did not crack. The Tigers caused 19 turnovers while Lamparter made eight saves between the pipes.
Other contributors to the win include MacLeod and Edmonds, both of whom had a hat trick and multiple assists. Regan Byrne provided two goals, and Clemson saw one goal each from Castiello, Shurtleff, Hall and Carly Wise.
The month of April will be crucial, as the final four regular season games and ACC Championship will decide Clemson’s quest for its first NCAA tournament appearance. The Tigers now look ahead to Tuesday, April 1, when they welcome East Carolina (3-6) and aim to extend this new winning streak to start the month.
