April 12, 2003
LONG BEACH, Calif. - The eighth-ranked San Diego State women's water polo team swept through the competition in first-day action at the Long Beach State Tournament, racking up three impressive victories to win its bracket. The Aztecs set down No. 20 Cal Baptist, 12-8, then cruised past CSU Bakersfield, 15-5, before capping the day with a 9-6 win over cross-town rival No. 14 UC San Diego to win the Group C bracket and advance to tomorrow's winners' pairings.
SDSU (17-9 overall), which had a week to mull over its first loss to a lower-ranked opponent against Hawai'i last Saturday, took care of business today in its final tournament tune-up for the MPSF Championship and improved to 15-1 against lower-ranked opponents. The victorious first day sets up a final chance to gain another top-four upset for SDSU, as it faces Group A winner No. 2 USC in its early game before taking on host No. 4 Long Beach State in its second game. The Aztecs, who lost a pair of games to USC earlier this season, have split their two prior games against The Beach, including a 6-5 overtime win at the UCSD Invitational that was SDSU's first win over a top-four ranked opponent since 1999. Both USC and Long Beach swept its three games on the day in convincing fashion.
The offensive story of the day for the Aztecs was senior utility Casey Finnegan (Fresno, Calif./Clovis West HS). Finnegan, who had been limited to just two scores in her last five games, racked up eight goals in the three games to give her a season total of 37. She scored four times as SDSU held off a feisty effort from Cal Baptist in the first game of the day, scored once in the blowout of CSU Bakersfield and added three more as the Aztecs beat UCSD for the second time this season. Finnegan is now sixth place all-time on the SDSU scoring list with 124 career goals.
The Aztecs' other top scorers, junior 2-meter Holly Hartzell (Vista, Calif./Fallbrook HS) and senior utility Amber Prestegard (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison HS), also had productive days with six goals each. Hartzell and Prestegard each scored three goals against Bakersfield, helping the Aztecs to a season-high six goals in the second quarter to lead the rout.
Junior driver Sandy Onweller (Poway, Calif./Palomar) scored five goals on the day, racking up a career-high three against Cal Baptist and two more versus UCSD.
Aztec junior goalies Ashley Zabel (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) and Sara Daseler (Lodi, Calif./Hartwick) split time in the cage in the first two games before Zabel went the distance against UCSD. Zabel registered 22 saves and allowed just 12 goals on the day, while Daseler made seven saves and allowed seven goals.
SDSU's game with No. 3 USC begins at 9:20 a.m. at Pool II. The Aztecs then take on No. 4 Long Beach State at noon at Pool II.
April 12, 2003 - Long Beach State Tournament Day 1
Aztecs Game 1: No. 8 SAN DIEGO STATE 12, No. 20 Cal Baptist 8Pool I, Long Beach, Calif. 1 2 3 4 TotalSan Diego St. 4 2 3 3 12Cal Baptist 2 2 1 3 8
SDSU Goals: Finnegan 4, Onweller 3, Hartzell 2, Cranney,Prestegard, SernaCal Baptist Goals: Eldridge 3, Rose 2, Curran 2, Ogden
SDSU Goalie Saves: Zabel 8, Daseler (7:00, 3rd) 4Cal Baptist Goalie Saves: Cudney 7
Aztecs Game 2: No. 8 SAN DIEGO STATE 15, CSU Bakersfield 5Pool II, Long Beach, Calif. 1 2 3 4 TotalSan Diego St. 3 6 1 5 15CS Bakersfield 1 1 2 1 5
SDSU Goals: Hartzell 3, Prestegard 3, D. Stivers 2, Banks,Delgado, DeRosier, Finnegan, Kelley, Lopez, S. StiversCS Bakersfield Goals: Cozad 2, Malcynski, Marquez, Nelson
SDSU Goalie Saves: Zabel 5, Daseler (7:00, 3rd) 3CS Bakersfield Goalie Saves: Ashbey 8
Aztecs Game 3: No. 8 SAN DIEGO STATE 9, No. 14 UC San Diego 3Pool I, Long Beach, Calif. 1 2 3 4 TotalSan Diego St. 3 3 1 2 9UC San Diego 2 2 1 1 6
SDSU Goals: Finnegan 3, Prestegard 2, Onweller 2, Hartzell,MatsumotoUC San Diego Goals: Keesey 3, Bantilan-Smith 2, Silverman
SDSU Goalie Saves: Zabel 9UC San Diego Goalie Saves: Foe 3