March 27, 2010
LOS ANGELES - The 14th-ranked San Diego State water polo team held No. 1 USC to its second-lowest scoring output of the season, but the Aztecs could not muster enough offense as they fell to the Women of Troy, 9-4, Saturday afternoon at McDonald's Swim Stadium. With the defeat, SDSU falls to 16-11 overall and is winless in five tries in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play.
San Diego State found itself in a 2-0 hole before Meaghan Poland scored out of two meters in the first quarter and the Aztecs were faced with a 4-1 deficit to start the second period. SDSU settled downed on the defensive end and limited the Women of Troy to just two goals. Unfortunately for the Scarlet and Black, it was held off the scoreboard despite a penalty-shot opportunity and a pair of power-play chances and went into halftime trailing, 6-1.
USC kept the pressure on the visitors in the third quarter, scoring three times to build a 9-1 lead. Junior Sarah Brady, however, stopped the Women of Troy's seven-goal run with a minute to go making the score 9-2 heading into the final eight minutes.
In the fourth quarter, the Aztecs received single goals from Leanne Ford and Rachel Miller and the defense, led by Kelly Campoli's 10 saves, kept USC off the scoreboard to provide the final five-goal margin.
San Diego State returns to action April 2 when it plays host to Brown and Cal Baptist at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively, at Aztec Aquaplex.
#1 USC 9, #14 San Diego State 4
McDonald's Swim Stadium (Los Angeles, Calif.)
SDSU 1-0-1-2--4
USC 4-2-3-0--9
SDSU goals: Meaghan Poland, Sarah Brady, Leanne Ford, Rachel Miller
USC goals: Joelle Bekhazi 2, Sarah Van Norman 2, Kally Lucas 2, Kristen Dronberger, Dominique Sardo, Forel Davies
SDSU saves: Kelly Campoli 10
USC saves: Tumua Anae 12