April 9, 2006
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Playing in its first overtime match in more than a year, the seventh-ranked San Diego State water polo team lost an 8-7 decision to No. 8 San Jose State Sunday afternoon. The Aztecs scored twice in the fourth period, while holding the Spartans off the scoreboard to force overtime, but could not pull out the victory as they dropped to 18-9 overall and 4-6 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
SDSU struck first as Stacy Werner found the back of the net less than one minute into the league match. However, San Jose State (12-11; 5-5 MPSF) received single goals from Katie Morgan and Sarah Hovland with under two minutes on the clock to take a 2-1 lead after one period.
In the second quarter, the Aztecs took the lead on goals from Becca Ur and Elana Cervantes, but the Spartans' Geraldine Hazlett tied the score 26 seconds after Cervantes' goal. Ashling Taylor scored with 1:46 remaining in the half to give the edge to SDSU, but SJSU responded with two goals to close out the quarter handing the Spartans a 5-4 lead at the break.
San Jose State padded its lead less than 45 seconds into the third period when Beth Harberts posted her second of the game making the score 6-4 in favor of the home squad. Both schools struggled offensively the rest of the way with the Aztecs being held in check and SJSU tallying only one goal in the quarter.
The San Diego State defense turned it up a notch in the fourth as it returned the favor in holding the Spartans off the scoreboard. The Aztecs scored a goal to bring SDSU to within one with 3:43 remaining and Werner recorded the game-tying goal at 1:32 to send the contest into overtime.
In the first overtime session, Angela Riddle was given an ejection and the Aztecs worked quick as Cervantes found the back of the net giving SDSU the 7-6 lead. The Spartans tied the scored with just over a minute left when Harberts notched her third goal of the match heading into the second extra period.
Both teams traded possessions to start the second portion of overtime and it wasn't until there was 1:04 left on the clock that Tanya Torres put a shot past Aztec goalkeeper Sarah Kilgore to make the score 8-7. Facing a one-goal deficit with just over a minute remaining, SDSU was unable to score one final goal to force a sudden-death period giving SJSU the victory.
The Aztecs will wrap up its home schedule Saturday, April 15, when it plays host to UC Santa Barbara on Senior Day. The match is slated to begin at 10 a.m. PDT.
#8 San Jose State 8, #7 San Diego State 7
SDSU 1-3-0-2-1-0---7SJSU 2-3-1-0-1-1---8
San Diego State goals: Elana Cervantes 2, Stacy Werner 2, Ashling Taylor, Rachel Serna, Becca Ur
San Jose State goals: Beth Harberts 3, Sarah Hovland 2, Geraldine Hazlett, Katie Morgan, Tanya Torres
San Diego State goalie saves: Sarah Kilgore - 10
San Jose State goalie saves: Krissy Hansell - unavailable