The state of Utah stood no chance against the CSU women’s lacrosse team.
CSU defeated Westminster, No. 2 BYU and Utah on the road by a combined score of 55-26 over the weekend.
The Rams remain the only undefeated team in the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association and wear their No. 1 ranking with pride.
“We are just one of those teams that always rallies,” senior captain, Maddie Garcia said. “We will play until we fall on the ground,we just pulled each other together.”
Though the game against No. 2 BYU was once tied at 4-4, CSU pulled ahead thanks to sophomore attack Ali Slyne’s go ahead goal, assisted by older sister Karly. The team increased the lead from there, taking the game 15-8.
“We’ve been playing together since we were nine years old, so I know what she’s going to do and she knows what I’m going to do,” Karly Slyne said. “We know how to work well together.”
Senior attack Karly Slyne tallied eight assists and nine goals on the weekend for a balanced CSU team.
Among other standouts, Garcia made huge contributions to all three games, racking up nine assists and 11 goals during a 3-game stretch over just 24 hours.
“I knew my year is coming to an end, and my lacrosse career in general,” Garcia said. “I was really trying to push it all out for my team and go the rest of the way undefeated.”
The BYU game might have been the toughest competition the Rams have faced this season, as they won their other two games in Salt Lake City against Westminster and Utah State 21-8 and 19-10, respectively.
“It was up there,” Garcia said. “UC Santa Barbara was also tough, but physically, this game was definitely the most demanding.”
But with only one game against CU-Boulder separating them from the Rocky Mountain Women’s Lacrosse League Championship, they have placed themselves in a great position to succeed.
“Beating BYU was really great, but the best part was seeing how well we connect together,” Slyne said. “We are going to keep the momentum going. We aren’t going to let anyone, especially CU, take that away.”
After surviving two straight weeks of hard-won lacrosse against the top teams in the nation, it would seem like the Rams have nothing more to prove. Still senior captain Sarah Langlie, riding the line between playing for the moment and anticipating the future, has her sights set on victory.
“I’m proud of my team, and our ability to maintain composure,” she said. “But we are just taking it one game at a time from this point in the season and realizing how hard we’ve worked to get to this point and how much hard work is still ahead of us to eventually reach our goal.”
Women’s Lacrosse Beat Reporter Cali Rastrelli can be reached at sports@collegian.com.
