March 11, 2006
SAN DIEGO - Aztec junior Stacy Werner (Lodi, Calif.) scored three goals and tallied seven steals to help lift the seventh-ranked San Diego State water polo team to a 7-3 victory over No. 11 Long Beach State in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation contest on a rainy Saturday afternoon at The Salvation Army Kroc Center. With the victory, SDSU improves to 9-4 (3-1 MPSF) on the season, while the 49ers fall to 9-7 (1-3).
Long Beach State drew first blood when Christina Wensman found the back of the net in the first quarter, giving the 49ers an early 1-0 lead. The Aztecs, however, responded a little over two minutes later as Werner scored on a penalty shot, tying the score at 1-1.
After a 15-minute delay due to inclement weather, play resumed in the second quarter and Werner converted another penalty shot, giving SDSU a 2-1 advantage with 5:21 left to go in the half. Werner's goal would be the only score of the period as the Aztecs' slim margin held up until intermission.
The 49ers knotted things up at 2-2 when Ashley Heaslip scored with two minutes elapsed in the third quarter. SDSU then took control of the game, scoring five unanswered goals. Senior Rachel Serna (Coronado, Calif.) notched the first of her two scores at the 1:37 mark, giving the scarlet and black the lead for good at 3-2. Werner then tacked on her third goal of the game just before the period ended, putting the Aztecs on top, 4-2.
SDSU widened its lead in the fourth quarter after goals by freshman Anna Gonzales (Fresno, Calif.), junior Ashley McCullum (Poway, Calif.) and Serna. Wensman added another score for Long Beach State late in the fourth quarter, providing the contest with its 7-3 outcome.
Junior goalkeeper Sarah Kilgore (Rossmoor, Calif.) tallied seven saves on the afternoon for the Aztecs, while her counterpart, Kim Hayes, was kept busy, making 15 stops for the 49ers.
SDSU returns to action on Sunday for a conference road match against No. 3 UCLA. The contest is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start in Los Angeles.
NO. 7 SAN DIEGO STATE 7, NO. 11 LONG BEACH STATE 3
LBSU 1-0-1-1---3
SDSU 1-1-2-3---7
Long Beach State Goals: Christina Wensman 2, Ashley Heaslip.
San Diego State Goals: Stacy Werner 3, Rachel Serna 2, Anna Gonzales, Ashley McCullum.
Long Beach goalie saves: Kim Hayes - 15
San Diego State goalie saves: Sarah Kilgore - 7