Feb. 7, 2009
SAN DIEGO - The No. 5 San Diego State water polo team won its first two matches of the two-day, 16-team UCSD Triton Invitational with a 14-6 rout of Maryland and a 10-8 win over 12th-ranked UC Irvine on Saturday. With the wins, the Scarlet and Black improve to 4-0 on the season.
In the opening game of pool play, four Aztecs posted multiple-goal performances. Senior Erinn Greenwood led all scorers with four goals. Senior co-captain Jenna Schuster added had three scores, while sophomore Ashley Novack and senior Anna Gonzales both chipped in a pair of tallies. Junior Melissa de Jonckheere, senior Erin Lester and junior Ronni Gautschi each found the back of the net once. Junior co-captain Danielle Pelke had three helpers, while sophomore Brooke Vessey and freshman Hilary Whelan each had an assist.
Senior Katie Bentley earned the win for SDSU in the goal, tallying 11 saves on the day.
San Diego State jumped out to a 5-2 lead after the first quarter and outscored the Terps 3-1 in the second frame to led 8-3 at the half. Maryland was able to put up three goals in the third stanza, but would be shutout in the fourth. The Aztecs would go on to score six goals in the second half of the game to secure the victory, 14-6.
The win over No. 12 UC Irvine marked the second SDSU victory over top-15 teams in a three day span. Gonzales led the Aztec offensive attack with 4 goals scored. Gautschi and Schuster each added two scores, while Lester and Pelke each found the back of the net once. Freshman Kelly Campoli led the Aztecs in goal, racking up 10 saves and one steal.
The Aztecs netted a pair of goals in the first quarter to go up 2-1 at the end of the first. The Anteaters would challenge SDSU as they scored two of their own goals in the second to even the score at three all. SDSU took a 5-3 lead before UC Irvine would score twice to tie the match at 5-5 at the end of the third quarter. The Aztecs and Anteaters traded goals in the fourth stanza, but would go on a 3-0 run to break away and seal the win.
San Diego State will continue play at the UCSD Triton Invitational with a semi-final match-up against No. 8 Michigan tomorrow at 11:45 a.m. PT at the Canyonview West Pool on the campus of UCSD. If the Aztecs win, they will face the winner of the UC Davis/Loyola Marymount game at 5:00 p.m. PT for the championship.
UCSD Triton Invitational
Canyonview East Pool - La Jolla, Calif.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009
No. 5 San Diego State 14, Maryland 6
Maryland 2-1-3-0 - 6
SDSU 5-3-4-2 - 14
SDSU goals: Greenwood 4, Schuster 3, Novack 2, Gonzales 2, Gautschi 1, de Jonckheere 1, Lester 1.
Maryland goals: Jordan 2, Vagts 2, Beck 1, Hopkins 1.
SDSU goal saves: Bentley 11.
Maryland goal saves: Jobson 12, Reyes 2.
No. 5 San Diego State 10, No. 12 UC Irvine 8
UC Irvine 1-2-2-3 - 8
SDSU 2-1-3-4 - 10
SDSU goals: Gonzales 4, Gautschi 2, Schuster 2, Lester 1, Pelke 1.
SDSU goal saves: Campoli 10.