March 13, 2011
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's water polo team concluded play at the Aztec Invitational Sunday afternoon, beating CS Northridge by a score of 17-7. The win snaps a two-game losing streak, bumping the Aztecs' record up to 12-9 (0-3 MPSF) on the season.
San Diego State started off on the wrong side of the scoreboard once again Sunday afternoon, surrendering a five meter penalty shot goal to Northridge's Heidi Pettinger just 14 seconds into the game. The ninth-ranked Aztecs were able to respond quickly though, as junior Meaghan Poland got the scoring started for SDSU only 25 seconds later. The two teams then traded goals until sophomore All-American Amber Pezzolla, junior Kimmy Keach and senior Jenna Natalizio teamed up for a three-goal flurry to give SDSU a 5-2 lead. A last-second score by Northridge's Lindsy Nelson made the score 5-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Northridge would carry the momentum from Nelson's goal into the second quarter, again jumping on SDSU early with a strike from attacker Whitney Delgado. With the Aztecs leading 5-4, Keach capitalized on an opening in the short side of the net, no-looking a bounce shot from five meters past Northridge goalkeeper Nicole Concialdi for her second goal of the game. Goals by Leanne Ford, Brady, Jenna Natalizio and Delgado took the game into halftime with SDSU leading 9-5.
SDSU center Ashley Novack opened the third quarter by taking a breakaway pass from goalkeeper Kelly Campoli, streaking down the middle of the pool within three meters, then fooling Northridge goalkeeper Nicole Concialdi on a bounce shot to extend the Aztec lead to five. Goals by Brady, Keach, and L. Ford would one-up a two-goal effort from Northridge, giving SDSU a 13-7 lead. Then, with one minute remaining in the quarter, Ronni Gautschi put on a dazzling display of strength when she took a feed inside two meters, spun off of a Northridge defender and cannoned a shot past a helpless Concialdi into the right side of the net. Pezzolla would then tack on her second goal of the afternoon with 23 seconds left, making the score 15-7.
The Aztecs carried their success into the final quarter of action, with Meaghan Poland and Rachel Miller each contributing to the Aztecs' cause. Campoli, who made 16 saves on the day, would close the door on Northridge the rest of the way, leading the team to a 17-7 victory.
San Diego State will next host Maryland and Whittier in a double-header on Sunday, March 20th, at the Aztec Aquaplex. The first match, against Maryland, is scheduled for a 10 a.m. PT start, while the contest against Whittier will begin at 4 p.m. PT.
No. 9 San Diego State 17, CS Northridge 7
Aztec Aquaplex - San Diego, Calif.
CSUN 3-2-2-0--7
SDSU 5-4-6-2--17
CSUN goals: Whitney Delgado 2, Heidi Pettinger 2, Jessica Goforth, Lindsy Nelson, Sydney Sonoda
SDSU goals: Sarah Brady 3, Kimmy Keach 3, Jenna Natalizio 3, Amber Pezzolla 3, Leanne Ford 2, Meaghan Poland 2, Ronni Gautschi, Rachel Miller, Ashley Novack
CSUN saves: Nicole Concialdi - 7
SDSU saves: Kelly Campoli - 16
Other day three scores:
Wagner defeat CS Bakersfield, 14-10
No. 10 San Jose State defeats No. 20 Pacific, 8-7
No. 4 Hawai'i defeats Princeton, 8-6
CS Northridge defeats No. 18 UC San Diego, 9-6
No. 20 Pacific defeats CS Bakersfield, 6-3
No. 10 San Jose State defeats Princeton, 9-8
No. 17 Indiana defeats No. 18 UCSD, 9-4