Jan. 23, 2010
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Seventh-ranked San Diego State opened 2010 in exciting fashion, scoring at least four goals in each quarter, as it defeated UC San Diego, 19-8, at the Michigan Kick-Off. The victory was the Aztecs' ninth straight season-opening win and gets them to 1-0 on the season before taking on third-ranked UCLA later this afternoon.
SDSU opened the game by finishing the first quarter with a 5-1 lead and then followed that up with four more goals in the second to end the first half up, 9-4.
After intermission, the Aztecs dropped another five goals in the third, while only allowing one, to head into the final period with a comfortable 14-5 cushion. With the outcome seemingly decided, San Diego State outscored the Tritons 5-3 in the final stanza to emerge with the 11-goal victory.
Senior Ronni Gautschi, the team's leading returning goal scorer, found the back of the net a game-high five times, while Amber Pezzolla and Kimmy Keach each scored three times. Sarah Brady and Jenna Natalizio joined the Aztecs' laundry list of multiple-goal scorers with a pair of goals and Leanne Ford, Alex Ford, Meaghan Poland and Samantha Voigt netted one goal apiece.
In net for San Diego State was All-American Kelly Campoli, who made six stops, and eventually gave way to Erin Abrams, who was credited with two saves of her own.
SDSU's 19 goals was its most in a season-opening contest since 1999 when the Aztecs scored 22 in a 22-2 defeat of Central Florida at the U.S. Senior Winter Championships at Princeton.
The Aztecs return to Canham Natatorium later today at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT to face the third-ranked Bruins.
Michigan Kick-Off
Canham Natatorium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
UC San Diego 1-3-1-3---8 #7 San Diego State 5-4-5-5---19UCSD goals: Kirsten Bates - 3, Hanalei Crowell - 2, Felicia Orozco, Audrey Mitchell, Jessica Tran
SDSU goals: Ronni Gautschi - 5, Amber Pezzolla - 3, Kimmy Keach - 3, Sarah Brady - 2, Jenna Natalizio - 2, Leanne Ford, Alex Ford, Meaghan Poland, Samantha Voigt
UCSD saves: Markayla Quane - 12
SDSU saves: Kelly Campoli - 6, Erin Abrams - 2