Feb. 7, 2013
SAN DIEGO - No. 7 San Diego State opened its regular-season home slate on Thursday and defeated 17th-ranked Hartwick, 14-9, at Aztec Aquaplex. With the win, SDSU improves to 6-1, while the Hawks fall to 3-4.
Hartwick struck first on somewhat of a broken play. With the shot clock winding down and everyone else moving toward the other end of the pool, Sami Capparelli converted a back-handed shot that found the lower left corner. San Diego State, however, responded with a pair of unanswered goals to take the lead. Emily Whalen scored on a 6-on-5 opportunity off a pass from Amber Pezzolla. Then Anique Hermann followed suit with screw shot into the right side of the net. Hartwick leveled the score with another Capparelli goal, but Samantha Voigt's first of the game propelled the Aztecs to a 3-2 lead after eight minutes.
SDSU increased its lead to 4-2 when Pezzolla located Hermann, who scored her second of the game just 30 seconds in. On the next possession, Hartwick's Britt Tait assisted on Allison Kosich's first of the afternoon and the score was 4-3 Aztecs. Later, Hermann continued her tear and scored following a Hawks exclusion and Tori Long was successful out of set, putting SDSU up, 6-3. Hartwick would sandwich a pair of Aztec goals by Carina Carballo, with the last coming from Jemma Dendy Young and San Diego State carried an 8-5 lead at halftime.
Both teams went back and forth to start the third quarter and Pezzolla was the first to dent the scoreboard with her lofted shot over Hartwick goalkeeper Haley Cox with 6:33 left in the frame. On the next Hawks possession, the visitors drew a penalty and SDSU keeper Rachel Mitchell (13 saves) denied Sasha Freeborn's attempt to preserve the 9-5 lead. Mitchell's effort was just a glimpse of what was to come as she turned a handful of shots away while the Aztecs continued to pressure the Hartwick defense. SDSU's persistence paid off after four minutes of scoreless action as Pezzolla notched her second of the game.
The Aztecs padded their 10-5 lead, outscoring the Hawks, 3-1, in the first 2:50 of the fourth quarter. During that timeframe, Hermann scored twice and Pezzolla converted a penalty shot. Young broke the SDSU spurt with a goal with 4:26 left in the game, but the Aztecs answered when Kelli Boling connected with Voigt for their 14th goal of the game. Hartwick closed the scoring with goals from Capparelli and Kylie Traube.
San Diego State returns to action on Saturday when it competes at the Triton Invitational at nearby UC San Diego. The Aztecs will face Santa Clara, which is receiving votes in the top-20 poll, at 11:10 a.m. PT at Canyonview Pool. SDSU will then face either Michigan or Long Beach State at 4:30 p.m. or 5:50 p.m. PT.
No. 7 San Diego State 14, No. T-17 Hartwick 9
Aztec Aquaplex - San Diego, Calif.
HART 2-3-0-4--9
SDSU 3-5-2-4--14
HART goals: Capparelli 5, Young 2, Kosich, Traube
SDSU goals: Hermann 5, Pezzolla 3, Carballo 2, Voigt 2, Long, Whalen
HART saves: Haley Cox - unavailable
SDSU goals: Rachel Mitchell - 13