April 26, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - Senior Stacy Werner (Lodi, Calif.) and sophomore Anna Gonzales (Fresno, Calif.) each recorded hat tricks on Thursday to lead the fifth-seeded San Diego State water polo team to a thrilling 13-11 victory over No. 12 seed UC Santa Barbara during the first round of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe, Ariz. Five different players scored for the Aztecs (26-7) during a third-quarter outburst to help SDSU overcome a 7-6 deficit against the plucky Gauchos (15-20). With the win, the Aztecs advance to Friday's quarterfinal round where they will tangle with fourth-seeded Hawai'i (16-8), beginning at 3:20 p.m. PT.
Despite its low seed, UCSB gave San Diego State all it could handle on Thursday, scoring three straight goals during a 75-second span in the first quarter to build a 3-1 advantage. The Aztecs calmly fought back on Gonzales' second tally of the period at the 1:19 mark, while Werner tossed in the equalizer on SDSU's first possession of the second stanza. The two teams traded punches for the rest of the half with sophomore Erinn Greenwood (Sanger, Calif.) and freshman Danielle Pelke (Los Alamitos, Calif.) providing scores for the Scarlet and Black en route to a 5-5 deadlock by intermission.
The back-and-forth exchange continued into the third period as junior Becca Ur (Lompoc, Calif.) found the back of the cage on the Aztecs' initial possession of the half, while Greenwood connected for her second goal of the contest during a 6-on-5 opportunity. With the score knotted at 7-7, SDSU finally assumed the upper hand after Gonzales converted a penalty shot at the four-minute mark. Moments later following a Gaucho ejection, fellow classmate Jenna Schuster (Upland, Calif.) gave the Aztecs a 9-7 cushion with her 71st tally of the season. UCSB's Sarah Kovach responded with a score to narrow the gap, but Werner cashed in on another power play situation at the 1:05 mark to restore SDSU's two-goal advantage.
The pace of the game slowed somewhat in the fourth quarter after Aimee Stachowski brought the Gauchos to within 10-9 during a 6-on-5 opportunity with 29 seconds elapsed in the period. Neither side scored for the next three minutes until senior Elana Cervantes (Davis, Calif.) broke the drought with a goal at the 4:19 mark. UCSB quickly countered on its ensuing possession with a strike from Lindsay Knott. However, Werner made one of the biggest plays in her collegiate career just 16 seconds later when she gathered her own deflected penalty shot and beat Gaucho goalkeeper Jenny Gonzales to give the Aztecs a 12-10 lead with 3:46 left in the game. Shortly thereafter, Pelke supplied some insurance with her second goal of the game following a Gaucho turnover.
Despite a seemingly safe 13-10 lead, SDSU was unable to put UCSB in its rear-view mirror as Stachowski converted a power play situation with 2:36 remaining. The Gauchos then threatened to make it a one-goal contest, but senior Sarah Kilgore (Rossmoor, Calif.) blocked a penalty shot with 1:22 left on the clock to snuff out UCSB's final threat. Kilgore tied a career high with 17 saves in front of the net, while Greenwood added three assists and four drawn ejections.
SAN DIEGO STATE 13, UC SANTA BARBARA 11
MPSF Championship--First Round
Mona Plummer Aquatic Center--Tempe, Ariz.
UC Santa Barbara 3-2-3-3--11
San Diego State 2-3-5-3--13
UC Santa Barbara goals: Christie Clark 2, Lindsay Knott 2, Sarah Kovach 2, Aimee Stachowski 2, Taylor Byrne, Katlin Kubas, Amanda Tipton
San Diego State goals: Anna Gonzales 3, Stacy Werner 3, Erinn Greenwood 2, Danielle Pelke 2, Elana Cervantes, Jenna Schuster, Becca Ur
UC Santa Barbara goalie saves: Jenny Gonzales - 6
San Diego State goalie saves: Sarah Kilgore - 17