April 26, 2003
STANFORD, Calif. - A three-goal effort from junior driver Sandy Onweller (Poway, Calif./Palomar) and seven saves from junior goalkeeper Ashley Zabel (San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch HS) propelled the seventh-seeded San Diego State women's water polo team to an 8-7 win over sixth seed Hawai'i in day two of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship. The Aztecs (20-2) avenged an earlier loss to the Rainbow Wahine this season and will play for fifth place in the nation's premier water polo conference tomorrow at noon against fifth-seed California.
SDSU picked up its 20th win for the seventh time in its nine-year varsity history and fourth time in head coach Carin Crawford's five seasons. The seventh-ranked Aztecs can add to their win total tomorrow if they again exact revenge for an earlier loss against the fifth-ranked Golden Bears, who won a narrow 9-8 decision in San Diego back on March 15.
The top four seeded teams (Stanford, USC, UCLA and Long Beach State), which are already guaranteed the top four placings in the tournament, play later today to set up Sunday's championship and third-place games.
The Aztecs suffered their only loss to a lower-ranked team this season when they dropped a 4-3 decision to then-No. 8 Hawai'I on April 5 in Honolulu. But with today's result, SDSU improved to 18-1 against such teams.
SDSU dominated the first half of play, with solid defense and a three-goal outburst in the first quarter followed by another goal in the second to take a 4-1 lead into the half. The Rainbow Wahine picked up their offensive game in the second half with six scores over the final two quarters, but SDSU scored three times in the third and once against in the final period to hold on for the victory.
Sophomore driver Dominique Delgado (Lompoc, Calif./Cabrillo HS) and senior driver Heidi Matsumoto (Grover Beach, Calif./Arroyo Grande HS) backed up Onweller's effort with two goals apiece. Junior 2-meter Holly Hartzell (Vista, Calif./Fallbrook HS) added her team-leading 62nd goal of the year.
Hawai'i, which was limited to just 1-of-8 conversions in 6-on-5 opportunities, was led by two goals each from Darcy-Scott Hosaka and Karin Van Hoff. Rainbow Wahine goalkeeper Amber Lumb made four saves.
A win in tomorrow's fifth-place game would give the Aztecs their best finish in the last four seasons at the MPSF Championship.
2003 MPSF Championship Day 2 - April 26, 2003Avery Aquatic Complex, Stanford, Calif.(7) SAN DIEGO STATE 8, (6) Hawai'i 7
1 2 3 4 TotalUH 0 1 4 2 7SDSU 3 1 3 1 8
Hawai'i Scoring: Darcy Scott-Hosaka 2, Karin Van Hoff 2, Tracy Andersen,Beth Novick, Malia TarayaoSan Diego State Scoring: Sandy Onweller 3, Dominique Delgado 2,Heidi Matsumoto 2, Holly HartzellGoalie Saves: Amber Lumb (Hawai'i) 4; Ashley Zabel (SDSU) 76-on-5: Hawai'i 1-8; San Diego State 1-7Penalty Shots: Hawai'i 0-1; San Diego State 3-4