Feb. 6, 2009
SAN DIEGO - The fifth-ranked San Diego State water polo team overpowered Marist in their second game of the 2009 campaign with a 12-3 victory on Friday afternoon at the Aztec Aquaplex. Coming into the match, Marist was receiving votes in the latest national poll but would fall to 0-1 with the loss in their season-opener. The Aztecs improve to 2-0 in 2009.
Senior Anna Gonzales recorded a hat trick to pace the Aztecs, while classmate Jenna Schuster and sophomore Brooke Vessey chipped in a pair of goals themselves. Senior Erinn Greenwood, junior Melissa de Jonckheere, sophomores Kierstin Hill and Sarah Brady and freshman Kimmy Keach also earned their way into the scoring column. Seeing her first action in the cage as an Aztec was freshman Kelly Campoli, who notched eight saves.
After a slow offensive start for both teams, SDSU got on the board first when Brady fed one to Schuster for the score at the 4:04 mark. Marist would answer on the following possession when junior utility Samantha Swartz found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1. After Greenwood drew an ejection, the Aztecs converted on the power play opportunity when senior Erin Lester found Schuster inside for her second goal of the day. San Diego State would draw another ejection at the 1:11 mark, which would set up Brady for her lone score of the match.
In the second quarter, Greenwood would draw an ejection meriting a five-meter penalty shot, which Gonzales would drill past goalie Madison Weber to put the Aztecs up 4-1. Less than one minute later, a steal by Lester drew an ejection and gave the Aztecs a 6-5 advantage. After a timeout by SDSU, Gonzales connected for her second tally of the quarter. San Diego State continued to push through the end of the first half, scoring twice in thirty seconds as Brady would feed Greenwood for the goal and de Jonckheere was able to skip one under the goalkeeper's arms to put the Scarlet and Black up 7-1 at the break.
Marist came out strong after the break, scoring first with a Swartz goal off of a power play. San Diego State would answer, as Vessey converted her first goal of the game after she rebounded her own missed shot and found the net on her second attempt. The Red Foxes would bring the game to 8-3 when Swartz fired off her second goal of the game.
With an 8-3 lead heading into the final stanza, Gonzales completed a hat trick when she scored on goalie Jessica Getchius from outside. The Aztecs would hold Marist scoreless in the fourth quarter. SDSU, however, would continue to deliver on offense. Vessey found the back of the net for her second tally at the 4:48 mark to put SDSU up 10-3. Aztec freshman Keach scored her first collegiate goal with just over three minutes to play to take the score to 11-3. After sophomore Ashley Novack drew an ejection, she would sneak a quick pass to Hill for the final goal of the game.
SDSU will travel across town to compete in the UC San Diego Triton Invitational, Feb. 7-8, in La Jolla, Calif. They open tournament play against Maryland at 9 am. PT at the Canyonview East Pool. The Aztecs and the Terrapins are joined in Group B by 13th-ranked UC Irvine and Santa Clara (receiving votes). If San Diego State defeats Maryland, it will face the winner of the UC Irvine-Santa Clara match, starting at 3:30 p.m. PT. If the Aztecs stumble, they will take on the loser of that same contest at 2 p.m. PT.
No. 5 San Diego State 12, Marist 3
Feb. 6, 2009
Aztec Aquaplex - San Diego, Calif.
Marist 1-0-2-0- 3
San Diego State 3-4-1-4 - 12
SDSU goals - Gonzales 3, Schuster 2, Vessey 2, Brady 1, de Jonckheere 1, Greenwood 1, Hill 1, Keach 1.
SDSU goalie saves - Campoli 8.
Marist goals - Swartz 2, Barnett 1.
Marist goalie saves - Getchius 7, Weber 5.