April 7, 2007
SAN DIEGO - Buoyed by sophomore Jenna Schuster's (Upland, Calif.) four-goal outburst in the second quarter, the seventh-ranked San Diego State water polo team survived a hard-fought battle on Saturday, defeating No. 14 UC San Diego, 10-8, in the sixth annual Harper Cup match at the Aztec Aquaplex. In addition to her offensive heroics, Schuster posted three steals and added one assist en route to earning the game's most valuable player award. With the win, SDSU surpasses its victory total from a year ago, improving to 23-5 on the season, while the Tritons fall to 13-12 overall.
The Aztecs wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as sophomore Anna Gonzales (Fresno, Calif.) converted a penalty shot just 18 seconds into the first quarter. Senior Stacy Werner (Lodi, Calif.) then added to the lead with a goal at the 3:37 mark during a 6-on-5 situation. Just over a minute later, Gonzales dialed up from long distance, launching a missile from the perimeter to give the Scarlet and Black a 3-0 advantage.
Following a UCSD ejection early in the second period, Schuster took a pass from fellow classmate Erinn Greenwood (Sanger, Calif.) and beat Triton goalkeeper Kim Hockett to put the home team up by four. UCSD quickly responded as Sydney Gstettenbauer and Natalie Hockett each found the back of the net, slicing the Aztec lead in half with 3:32 remaining in the quarter. Shortly thereafter, Schuster became a one-person wrecking crew, notching three consecutive goals in a span of 85 seconds to provide SDSU a seemingly comfortable 7-2 cushion at halftime.
The Tritons would not go quietly as they outscored the Aztecs by a 4-2 count in the third period to climb back into the game. The SDSU offense was held in check throughout the quarter, managing just two goals on penalty shots by Gonzales and Werner. Meanwhile, three tallies by UCSD's Sarah Bajorek enabled the visitors to pull within 9-6 heading into the final frame.
The game turned into a defensive struggle in the fourth quarter as the two teams combined for just three scores the rest of the way. Werner became the third Aztec to net a hat trick on the day when her shot at the 4:04 mark found daylight, putting the Scarlet and Black ahead by a 10-6 margin. SDSU's momentum was short-lived as the Tritons scored on their next two possessions, narrowing the gap to 10-8. UCSD was then in position to make it a one-goal ballgame following an Aztec turnover with 2:35 remaining on the clock. However, Werner came up with a big steal at the defensive end, snuffing out the Tritons' last serious threat.
Despite allowing eight goals, the Aztec defense rose to the challenge when it mattered the most, holding UCSD scoreless during its 11 6-on-5 opportunities. Senior goalkeeper Sarah Kilgore (Rossmoor, Calif.) also made 12 key saves on the afternoon and contributed two steals.
Meanwhile, Schuster joins Heather Stiles, Amber Prestegard, Holly Hartzell, Dominique Delgado and Stacy Werner as players who have taken home Harper Cup most valuable player honors.
San Diego State returns to the pool on Thursday, April 12, when it plays host to No. 4 UC Irvine in a key MPSF showdown at the Aztec Aquaplex. Opening sprint is scheduled for 3 p.m. PDT.
#7 SAN DIEGO STATE 10, #14 UC SAN DIEGO 8
April 7, 2007
Aztec Aquaplex--San Diego, Calif.
UC San Diego 0-2-4-2--8
San Diego State 3-4-2-1--10
UC San Diego goals: Sarah Bajorek 4, Sydney Gstettenbauer, Nicole Hermann, Natalie Hockett, Miho Umezawa
San Diego State goals: Jenna Schuster 4, Anna Gonzales 3, Stacy Werner 3
UC San Diego goalie saves: Kim Hockett - 5
San Diego State goalie saves: Sarah Kilgore - 12