April 17, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. - The 14th-ranked San Diego State water polo team won an important game at No. 9 Arizona State in the morning, but fell to No. 15 Indiana in the afternoon on Saturday at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. With their 11-8 win over the Sun Devils, the Aztecs picked up their first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation victory of the season. The 11-7 loss to the Hoosiers, however, dropped SDSU to 19-13 (1-6 MPSF) on the season.
In the team's first game of the day, one in which they won their fourth in a row over the Sun Devils, SDSU fell behind early after one quarter, 4-3. But from that point forward, the Aztecs remained a model of consistency on both offense and defense by scoring two or more goals in each of the last three periods, while holding ASU to two goals or less in quarters two through four.
After trailing in the early going, San Diego State replicated its first quarter scoring by scoring three goals in the second period and limiting Arizona State to a single score to go into halftime up, 6-5. In the third quarter, the teams played even as both scored a pair of goals and the Aztecs entered the final eight minutes holding a slim 8-7 margin.
In the decisive period, SDSU's defense remained dominant and its offense rose to the occasion as the Aztecs finished the final eight minutes by outscoring ASU, 3-1, to record the three-goal victory, which snapped a two-game losing streak in Tempe.
Meaghan Poland and Sarah Brady shared game-high honors with three goals, while Meghann Pedersen, Leanne Ford, Kimmy Keach, Amber Pezzolla and Alex Ford each added single tallies. Kelly Campoli was solid again in net for SDSU and made seven stops. The win secures the No. 7 seed for SDSU in the MPSF Tournament, which is set for April 30-May 2 in Los Angeles.
In the second game of the doubleheader, the Aztecs found themselves down to Indiana, 6-1, after the opening eight minutes and 8-1 at halftime and could not overcome the early deficit. San Diego State rallied in the second half, scoring three goals in both the third and fourth quarters, but ran out of time in the end to lose by four goals.
Leanne Ford scored a game-high three goals and was joined in the scoring column by Melissa de Jonckheere, Poland, Alex Ford and Lindsey Morris, who logged her first goal of the season. In the cage for SDSU was freshman Erin Abrams, who earned her second career start and played in just her eighth game of the year. The Anaheim, Calif., native finished with three saves on the day.
San Diego State wraps up its regular-season slate on Friday, April 23, when it travels across town to face UC San Diego in the annual Harper Cup. First sprint is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT in La Jolla.
No. 14 San Diego State 11, No. 9 Arizona State 8
Mona Plummer Aquatic Center (Tempe, Ariz.)
SDSU 3-3-2-3--11
ASU 4-1-2-1--8
SDSU goals: Meaghan Poland 3, Sarah Brady 3, Meghann Pedersen, Leanne Ford, Kimmy Keach, Amber Pezzolla, Alex Ford
ASU goals: Lynlee Smith 3, Shannon Haas 2, Kelly Phelps, Nikki Unbehaun, Annabelle Carter
SDSU saves: Kelly Campoli 7
ASU saves: Dana Harvey 8
No. 15 Indiana 11, No. 14 San Diego State 7
Mona Plummer Aquatic Center (Tempe, Ariz.)
IU 6-2-1-2--11
SDSU 1-0-3-3--7
IU goals: Lauren Wyckoff 4, Jakie Kohli 3, Nicole Redder, Katie Black, Hanna Eimstad, Kym King
SDSU goals: Leanne Ford 3, Melissa de Jonckheere, Meaghan Poland, Alex Ford, Lindsey Morris
IU saves: Katie Carson 9, Cassie Wyckoff 4
SDSU saves: Erin Abrams 3