Feb. 24, 2008
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - After dropping its first contest of the season in the opening round of the elite UC Irvine Invitational, the sixth-ranked San Diego State water polo team (13-1) bounced back to capture ninth place as it slipped by host and 10th-ranked UC Irvine, 9-8, before coming from behind to defeat No. 8 Arizona State, 7-5, Sunday at Corona del Mar High School.
In its morning game, SDSU never trailed as it jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and held an 8-6 advantage heading into the fourth period. The Anteaters then scored two goals to tie the match at 8-8 with 3:02 remaining, but the Aztecs responded, as sophomore Danielle Pelke scored the game-winning goal on a power play with 12 seconds left in the match.
Pelke and Jenna Schuster led the Scarlet and Black with three goals apiece. Anna Gonzales recorded her 10th multiple-goal game with two tallies, while Ronni Gautschi added one score.
In the ninth-place match, SDSU again jumped out to an early lead (2-0) in the first quarter, but it was ASU who took the reins in the third period as the Sun Devils scored twice to claim a 5-3 advantage with 5:10 left in the third period. The Aztecs refused to go down, however, as they went on to score four unanswered goals to end the game with a 7-5 victory.
Pelke and Schuster were again at the head of the Aztec attack with two goals apiece, while Erin Lester, Jessica Pace and Erinn Greenwood all chipped in with their first tallies of the day. Senior goalkeeper Heather Fenske also had a solid showing with nine saves.
San Diego State will now gear up for Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play as it opens conference action on the road, starting with a 1 p.m. PT match at Stanford on Saturday, March 1. The Aztecs will then make their way to San Jose State the following day for a noon PT game.
UC Irvine Women's Water Polo Invitational
Corona del Mar High School -- Newport Beach, Calif.
Feb. 24, 2008
No. 6 San Diego State 9, No. 10 UC Irvine 8
SDSU 3-3-2-1 -- 9
UCI 0-3-3-2 -- 8
SDSU goals: Pelke 3, Schuster 3, Gonzales 2, Gautschi.
UCI goals: Rossi 3, Lewis 2, Frost 2, Fiacco.
SDSU goalie saves: Fenske 5.
UCI goalie saves: Machanis 7.
Ninth-place game
No. 6 San Diego State 7, No. 8 Arizona State 5
SDSU 2-1-1-3 -- 7
ASU 0-2-3-0 -- 5
SDSU goals: Pelke 2, Schuster 2, Greenwood, Lester, Pace.
ASU goals: Lawlor 2, Hayes, Aparicio, McGrath.
SDSU goalie saves: Fenske 9.
ASU goalie saves: Wallace 7.