March 14, 2004
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State completed a sweep of its four-game homestand over the weekend by defeating No. 4 Long Beach State and No. 19 Princeton on Sunday at the Kroc Community Center pool. No. 5 SDSU earned a hard-fought 10-9 victory over No. 4 LBSU in front of a packed house, before cruising to an 11-7 win over Princeton in a non-coference matchup. The Aztecs also defeated No. 7 California on Friday and Pacific on Saturday this weekend. SDSU is now 17-3 on the season and 6-1 in MPSF action, the best start ever for Aztec water polo.
The Aztec win over LBSU provided the most drama as the two squads traded scores throughout the match with neither team leading by more than two in the game. In the end, Sandy Onweller scored her fourth goal of the game to give SDSU a 10-8 advantage with 1:43 left and the Aztecs hung on for the win.
SDSU started slowly as the 49ers converted on their first posession and then added a second goal with 3:20 left in the period. However, that would be the only lead of the day for LBSU as the Aztecs stormed back with four straight goals over the next seven minutes and led 5-4 at halftime.
The two squads traded goals to begin the third period with LBSU tying the score twice. Senior Holly Hartzell regained SDSU a two goal lead at 8-6 with a goal from two-meters at the 1:55 mark of the third quarter. But LBSU's Cassie Azevedo would tally a score with three seconds remaining to cut the lead back to 8-7 entering the fourth.
SDSU's Rachel Serna struck first at the 3:39 mark of the period to again increase the advantage to two, but LBSU responded once again before Onweller's clincher from the deep left side. The 49ers cut the lead to 10-9 at the 1:18 mark and had a man-advantage in their final possession but Ashley Zabel made a diving save and the Aztecs ran out the clock.
Zabel finished with five saves against the 49ers for the Aztec defense who didn't allow a goal in eight 5-on-6 situations.
Six Aztecs chipped in with one score apiece, including Chelsy Smith who also led SDSU with three assists. Freshman Elana Cervantes posted a score along with three steals and two assists, while Hartzell made four steals.
Against Princeton, things again started slowly as the Tigers led 3-2 with 5:40 left in the second period. However, Smith scored 14 seconds later to spark a 9-2 Aztec run which finished off the Tigers.
Sara Daseler recorded 10 saves in the victory, while five Aztecs posted two scores each to lead the offense. Kristin Moore doubled her season scoring total on the day with goals on back-to-back possessions after only two goals in the Aztecs first 19 games. Dominique Delgado also registered four assists and three steals.
Onweller finished the day with six goals to boost her season scoring total to 36, which leads the team.
SDSU will host the USA National Team for an exhibition matchup this Saturday, March 20, at the Kroc Community Center pool beginning at 1 p.m.
March 14, 2004 - Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center
No. 5 SAN DIEGO STATE 10, No. 4 Long Beach State 9
1 2 3 4 TotalLBSU 2 2 3 2 9San Diego St. 2 3 3 2 10
LBSU Goals: Stewart 3, Azevedo 2, Garcia 2, Braden, WawrzynskiSDSU Goals: Onweller 4, Cervantes, Delgado, Hartzell, Kelley, Serna, Smith
March 14, 2004 - Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center
No. 5 SAN DIEGO STATE 11, No. 19 Princeton 7
1 2 3 4 TotalPrinceton 2 1 2 2 7San Diego St. 2 4 3 2 11
Princeton Goals: Colgan 4, Brown 2, DonahueSDSU Goals: Cervantes 2, Hartzell 2, Moore 2, Onweller 2, Smith 2, Serna