TUCSON -- The last time the ASU men's lacrosse club defeated UA, Boyz II Men topped the music charts and most of the Sun Devils' current players were in elementary school.
ASU overcame a three-goal halftime deficit Saturday night to upset No. 6 UA 9-7 at Murphey Soccer Stadium, ending a losing streak that stood since 1991.
"I'm still trying to collect myself and realize what we've achieved," said ASU coach Jon Minder, dripping from a Gatorade shower. "In the second half, our players made some ridiculous plays and they absolutely refused to lose."
The win put ASU (6-7) in a three-way tie for first place in the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League. The Sun Devils were squeezed out of the postseason because of a goal differential tiebreaker that they lost to UA and UC San Diego.
"Nothing bothers me after this win," Minder said. "This is a difference-making win. It finally demonstrates that we're willing to take the next step and able to win a really big game against a big-time opponent. Who better for us to do that against than Arizona?"
The Wildcats controlled the pace much of the first two quarters and took a 5-2 edge into intermission. But ASU turned into a different team in the second half, grabbing a lead that it would not relinquish.
The Sun Devils dominated the time of possession and executed on offense, converting 7 of 18 shots. Sophomore Kevin Fisher sparked ASU on defense, and the Sun Devils held UA to two second-half goals.
"Our defense was amazing," Minder said. "We owe a lot to the way they played, especially Kevin. We simply weren't going to accept any other result. Our guys played on another level in the second half."
Junior attacker Jeff Pilon returned to the field Saturday after being sidelined most of the season with an undisclosed injury. Pilon and sophomore midfielder Jason Bellar each had two goals and two assists.
"Pilon is an impact player," Minder said. "Having him on the field is not only a performance booster for the team, because he's an outstanding player, but it's also a mental boost for the guys, knowing that he's in there."
The Sun Devils lose just three seniors, giving the club hope for next season. Minder figures the future looks bright.
"This gives us a lot of motivation for the off-season," Minder said. "We've had our ups and downs this year, but this win fixes everything."
Women's lacrosse
The ASU women's lacrosse club returned from California on Sunday riding a wave of confidence. The No. 11 Sun Devils have won eight of their last nine matches, including five straight.
ASU bested a pair of ranked opponents over the weekend to secure a postseason berth.
Goalie Kristina Reynolds loomed large in ASU's 11-1 win over No. 25 Chico State and the Sun Devils (9-4) received a consistent defensive effort.
"The wins were huge," ASU coach Tyna LaBarre said. "Kristina really stepped up. There were certain times when I was sure the ball was going to go into the goal, and she made some amazing saves."
The Sun Devils edged No. 8 Santa Clara 8-6 to hammer down the South division title and a No. 3 seed in the Western Women's Lacrosse League Championships, scheduled for this weekend at UC Davis.
The top two finishers in the WWLL Championships ad-vance to the U.S. Lacrosse Women's Association national tournament. ASU has maintained a top-20 ranking, meaning a good showing might be enough for a bid to nationals.
"They've proved to themselves what they're capable of, proved to the league what they're capable of," LaBarre said. "Now they just have to go out this weekend and prove it some more."
Reach the reporter at michael.fowler@asu.edu.
