March 28, 2013
HONOLULU, Hawaii - Sophomore Taelor Moreno, senior Amber Pezzolla and senior Emily Whalen each scored three goals to lift the No. 6 San Diego State Water Polo team to a victory over No. 15 UC San Diego, 9-5, in Honolulu, Hawaii on Thursday night.
Sophomore Carina Carballo, sophomore Tori Long and redshirt freshman Bailey Wickliffe also scored a goal apiece for the Aztecs, who scored three goals in the second quarter to take the lead for good. Freshman goalkeeper Rachel Mitchell recorded 10 saves for SDSU (19-7, 3-1 BW), which won its eighth-straight game.
A goal by Moreno with 59 seconds left in the first period knotted the score, 2-2, before scores by Whalen and Carballo put the Aztecs ahead by two in the second quarter. Another Moreno goal with just seven seconds remaining in the second period gave SDSU a 5-3 lead at halftime.
After UCSD pulled within one with 40 seconds to go in the third quarter, Wickliffe responded with a goal to put the Aztecs on top, 7-5, after three quarters. Pezzolla and Whalen each tacked on a goal in the fourth quarter.
The Aztecs return to action on Friday against Big West foe No. 8 Hawai'i, beginning at 6 p.m. HT.
No. 6 San Diego State 9, No. 15 UCSD 5
Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex - Honolulu, Hawaii
UCSD 2-1-2-0
SDSU 2-3-2-2
UCSD Goals: Lizotte 4, Kirkland
SDSU Goals: Whalen 2, Pezzolla 2, Moreno 2, Carballo, Long, Wickliffe
UCSD Saves: Miller 9
SDSU Saves: Mitchell 10