April 12, 2014
STOCKTON, Calif. - No. 20 San Diego State clinched at least a share of the Golden Coast regular-season title after it defeated Pacific, 7-6, Saturday afternoon at Chris Kjeldsen Pool in Stockton, Calif. SDSU's fifth straight victory lifted its record to 21-10 and a perfect 5-0 in league action. The Tigers, meanwhile, dropped to 12-17 (2-5 GCC).
The conference championship is the first in GCC history and the first of any kind in program history, which dates back to the 1995 season. SDSU can win the outright title with a win on Wednesday at Azusa Pacific (14-18; 1-4 GCC), which lost to LMU today. The Lions finished their league slate with a 5-1 record.
UOP struck first on the game's first possession as Brydie Pye scored 28 seconds in and then things came to a screeching halt. Neither team scored for more than five minutes until Ioli Benekou ended the drought with a long-distance strike to even the score. Pacific's Noelle Mann gave the home side its final lead of the game and Caroline Israels lobbed her attempt over Tigers goalkeeper Meghan Nee with 17 seconds left to lock the score at 2 heading into the second frame.
Anique Herman found the back of the net twice in the period, once with 5:21 left and the other with 2:29 showing on the game clock. The latter goal appeared to be a momentum changer as Pacific's shot while on a power play ricocheted to mid-pool where Hermann raced the length of the pool and converted the one-on-one opportunity. San Diego State, which led 4-2 at this point, looked poised to take comfortable lead into intermission, but Pye logged her second of the game when she scored with 10 seconds left in the half.
When play resumed, Pye was up to her old tricks again, scoring with 4:39 left in the third quarter to tie the score at 4-all. The Aztecs, however, answered with two goals, one from Alyssa Diacono at center and a powerful dart into the lower left corner on a 6-on-5 chance from Benekou. But just as SDSU looked to be pulling away, Pye scored again to bring UOP to within 6-5 of the Aztecs.
The defensive battle continued into the fourth quarter as both teams came up empty on their initial offensive possessions. San Diego State created a little breathing room just as the clock ticked past the 6-minute mark when Taylor Gums utilized a skip shot on a power play. The sophomore's 23rd goal of the season gave SDSU a 7-5 lead. Then, two minutes later, Pacific's Gracie Smith scored a power-play goal, which stopped an 0-for-4 performance in 6-on-5 chances. San Diego State ended up with the ball with a minute to go and nearly ran out the clock, but UOP had one last chance with two seconds left. The Tigers' desperation shot, however, was off the mark and SDSU capped its Northern California trip with a 2-0 record.
Nee finished with a game-high 11 stops in net for Pacific and Rachel Mitchell continued her outstanding play of late with 10 saves.
San Diego State will vie for the outright GCC crown on Wednesday, April 16, when it travels to Azusa Pacific. First sprint is slated for 6 p.m. PT.
No. 20 San Diego State 7, Pacific 6
Chris Kjeldsen Pool; Stockton, Calif.
SDSU 2-2-2-1--7
UOP 2-1-2-1--6
SDSU goals: Hermann 2, Benekou 2, Diacono, Gums, Israels
UOP goals: Pye 4, Mann, Smith
SDSU saves: Mitchell 10
UOP saves: Nee 11