April 6, 2007
SAN DIEGO - Sophomore Erinn Greenwood (Sanger, Calif.) scored three goals on Friday to lead the seventh-ranked San Diego State water polo team to an 11-5 victory over No. 20 Cal State Northridge in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game at the Aztec Aquaplex. Greenwood tallied all three of her scores in the first half as SDSU built a 5-0 lead by intermission and never looked back. With the win, the Aztecs raise their record to 22-5 on the season and 6-2 in league play, while the Matadors drop to 12-14 overall and 0-8 in the MPSF.
The first period was a low-scoring affair as both offenses misfired on their opening possessions. SDSU drew first blood at the 5:50 mark when sophomore Anna Gonzales (Fresno, Calif.) beat goalkeeper Jillian Stapf after getting a clean look at the net as the shot clock expired with the Matadors in transition. A little over three minutes later, Greenwood notched her first goal of the game after finding an opening in the middle, giving the Aztecs a 2-0 cushion.
The Scarlet and Black padded its lead in the second quarter on two additional Greenwood scores and another by sophomore Jenna Schuster (Upland, Calif.), who extended her scoring streak to 20 games after redirecting a pass from junior Tiphanie Elliott (Porterville, Calif.) into the left side of the cage at the 5:51 mark. Greenwood then completed her fifth hat trick of the season when she swiped a shot just past the goal line with 46 seconds remaining in the half.
The Matadors finally dented the scoreboard with two minutes gone by in the third period on a goal by Christine Cruz during a 6-on-5 opportunity. SDSU responded with two scores of its own, one on a thunderous backhand by freshman Ronni Gautschi (Morgan Hill, Calif.) and another on Schuster's second tally of the day. CSUN sandwiched two scores around an Aztec goal by senior Stacy Werner (Lodi, Calif.), but SDSU was still in control, 8-4, heading into the final frame.
San Diego State then put the game out of reach as Gonzales notched her second score of the day with a minute elapsed in the fourth quarter, while senior Elana Cervantes (Davis, Calif.) found the back of the net on the ensuing possession, providing the home team with an insurmountable 10-4 advantage. The Aztecs tacked on a goal by sophomore Jessica Pace (Santee, Calif.) later in the period, while the Matadors' Renee Gargiulo scored with 13 seconds remaining to account for the final outcome.
Senior goalkeeper Sarah Kilgore (Rossmoor, Calif.) kept CSUN at bay throughout the afternoon by blocking nine shots, while Werner chipped in with four steals.
San Diego State returns to action on Saturday, April 7, when it plays host to No. 14 UC San Diego in the sixth annual Harper Cup game at the Aztec Aquaplex. Opening sprint is scheduled for noon PDT.
#7 SAN DIEGO STATE 11, #20 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 5
April 6, 2007
Aztec Aquaplex--San Diego, Calif.
CS Northridge 0-0-4-1--5
San Diego State 2-3-3-3--11
CS Northridge goals: Christine Cruz 2, Allison Brookes, Renee Gargiulo, Dayna Van Gorder
San Diego State goals: Erinn Greenwood 3, Anna Gonzales 2, Jenna Schuster 2, Elana Cervantes, Ronni Gautschi, Jessica Pace, Stacy Werner
CS Northridge goalie saves:
Jillian Stapf - 10
San Diego State goalie saves: Sarah Kilgore - 9