Jan. 26, 2013
SAN DIEGO - No. 7 San Diego State dropped an overtime thriller to the Alumni, 14-13, Saturday morning at Aztec Aquaplex. The former Aztecs used a Leanne Ford goal with 1:17 left in the extra session to lift her squad.
The current group of SDSU student-athletes raced out a 6-2 lead after one period. Anique Hermann posted the first goal of the game, but was countered immediately by Amber Prestegard. Then Amber Pezzolla happened. The returning All-American scored three straight goals for the seventh-ranked team in the nation and Rachel Miller followed with a goal of her own. Alumni's Gubby Sheehy stopped the bleeding with a goal with 2:14 left in the frame only to have San Diego State answer with an Addison Gosselin goal four seconds before the horn.
Prestegard single-handily brought the Alumni back with consecutive goals in the first 1:27. Pezzolla was at it again to put the Aztecs up, 7-4. Prestegard and Sandy Dielman made it a one-goal game with single scores, but SDSU received three goals, one from Kelli Boling and a pair from Bailey Wickliffe, in the final 3:25 to give the Aztecs a 10-6 lead at halftime.
The third quarter was evenly played as both squads scored two goals apiece. Kim Fraisse found the back of the net almost immediately after the half started and no team scored for the next five and a half minutes. Stacy Werner ended the scoring drought with 90 seconds before the end of the quarter to bring the Alumni within four goals at 11-7. In the final minute, Pezzolla rattled the cage and Prestegard added her fifth with 45 seconds on the clock to make the score 12-8 in favor of the current Aztecs.
In the fourth period, the Alumni's experience took over as they scored three unanswered goals (Werner, Sheehy, Dielman) to get within 12-11 with 3:50 left in regulation. SDSU created brief separation after Samantha Voigt cashed in on a shot attempt. Then in the final 2:13, the Alumni received goals from Sheehy and Prestegard, which tied the score, and the game was on its way to overtime.
In the bonus water polo session, as stated earlier, Ford provided the exhibition with its final margin with her goal 77 seconds before the final horn. The win snapped the Alumni's five-game losing streak to the current Aztecs.
The annual Alumni game was dedicated to the late Jamie Stuart who passed last spring. Stuart helped San Diego State transition from a club sport to a varsity sport from 1991-94. Earlier this month, Stuart was honored with USA Water Polo's Lifetime Service Award.
SDSU returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Riverside, Calif., where it will participate in the Lancer Mini Invite #1. The Aztecs will face Cal State San Bernardino at noon and CSU Bakersfield at 4:30 p.m.
SDSU Alumni 14, No. 7 San Diego State 13 (OT)
Aztec Aquaplex - San Diego, Calif.
ALUM 2-4-2-5--1---14
SDSU 6-4-2-1--0---13
ALUM goals: Amber Prestegard 7, Sandy Dielman 2, Gubby Sheehy 2, Stacy Werner 2, MJ deJonckheere 1
SDSU goals: Amber Pezzolla 5, Bailey Wickliffe 2, Kelli Boling 1, Kim Fraisse 1, Adisson Gosselin 1, Anique Hermann 1, Rachel Miller 1, Samantha Voigt 1
ALUM saves: Heather Fenske - unavailable
SDSU saves: Morgan Klingfus - 10, Emily Tylka - 7