Water Polo

No. 11 SDSU Water Polo Loses in Overtime to California

No. 11 SDSU Water Polo Loses in Overtime to CaliforniaNo. 11 SDSU Water Polo Loses in Overtime to California

March 6, 2005

BERKELEY, Calif. - San Diego State rallied from a four-goal, fourth quarter deficit to push the game into overtime, but could not pull out the victory as the Aztecs lost to No. 6 California, 10-9, in three overtime periods at Spieker Aquatics Complex Sunday afternoon. SDSU drops to 6-7 overall and 1-3 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play, while the Golden Bears improve to 10-4 and 2-1 in the MPSF.

The 11th-ranked Aztecs struck first, 44 seconds into the game. California responded with two goals of its own toward the end of the quarter, but with 11 seconds remaining, junior Rachel Serna found the back of the net to knot the game at 2-2.

In the second quarter, sophomore Elana Cervantes scored a goal with 3:14 left in the half to tie the contest at 3-3. But the Golden Bears scored twice to end the quarter and took a 5-3 lead after two periods of play.

Serna scored again in the third period to get the Aztecs within one goal, but California's Elise Windes scored one of her three goals to put the Golden Bears up, 6-4.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, California netted two goals within the first 1:57 to increase its lead to 8-4, but SDSU fought back with four unanswered goals to force overtime.

Serna started the rally scoring with just under four minutes remaining. Cervantes followed with two goals of her own, one at the 1:58 mark, the other coming with 41 seconds left. As time expired, freshman Becca Ur scored her eighth goal of the season to tie the game at 8-8.

In the first overtime period, Serna recorded her fourth goal of the game, giving the Aztecs a 9-8 lead, but California's Katie Card scored in the second overtime session to tie the contest at 9-9. In sudden-death overtime, Molly Hayes put one past SDSU goalkeeper Sarah Kilgore (eight saves) with 19 seconds left to win the game for the Golden Bears.

The Aztecs will be action March 10 as they return home for the first time this season to host UC Irvine. The game is slated for a 3 p.m start at the Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center and will be the first of a five-game homestand.

Teams 1 2 3 4 OT1 OT2 OT3 TotalSDSU (6-7) 2 1 1 4 1 0 0 9California (10-4) 2 3 1 2 0 1 1 10Goals:
California: Elsie Windes 3, Jodie Needles 2, Allison Gold 2, Katie Card, Molly Hayes, Annie Wight
SDSU: Rachel Serna 4, Elana Cervantes 3, Becca Ur, Monica DeRosier

Saves:
California: Heather Stuart, 8
SDSU: Sarah Kilgore, 8