Feb. 5, 2015
SAN DIEGO - No. 13 San Diego State opened the 2015 campaign with a 12-7 victory over Hartwick at a sun-drenched Aztec Aquaplex Thursday afternoon. SDSU moved to 1-0 on the season, while the Hawks watched their record fall to 1-4.
With their fifth straight victory over Hartwick, the Aztecs have won two straight season openers and improve to 13-1 in their last 14 lidlifters.
Anique Hermann recorded the first goal of 2015 with a lob shot off a pass from Carina Carballo at the mid-way point of the first quarter, but Hartwick's Nicolina Mihajlovik answered 13 seconds later to level the score. Then with 20 seconds left in the period, Taylor Gums drew a penalty and Ioli Benekou scored on the subsequent penalty attempt.
From that point forward, SDSU never looked back, outscoring Hartwick, 4-2, in the second quarter to open up a 6-3 lead. In the frame, San Diego State received single goals, in order, from Hermann, Nikole Ferrari, Caroline Israels and Makena Magro.
In the third, both teams exchanged goals with Hermann notching a hat trick 1 minute, 18 seconds after the second half resumed. The Hawks stayed within striking distance as Katie McKenty found the back of the net 42 seconds after Hermann did only to allow Israels to post her second goal of the game with under three minutes left. Hartwick kept the score tight when Mihajlovik closed the period with her second of the game with 83 seconds remaining in the quarter.
With San Diego State enjoying an 8-5 lead entering the final eight minutes, the Aztecs put any thoughts of a Hartwick comeback to rest when Hermann, Gums and Alex Hoetker scored back-to-back-to-back goals to move SDSU ahead, 11-5. The Hawks' Brittany Tait ended the Aztecs' scoring run with a backhanded goal and a power-play score to bring Hartwick to within four with under three minutes remaining in regulation. Later, Nikki de Roos drew a penalty and like before, Benekou cashed in on the opportunity to provide the final five-goal margin.
At the final horn, Hermann led all players with four goals, while adding two assists and one steal. Benekou and Israels each scored twice, with Ferrari, Gums, Hoetker and Magro each adding one goal apiece. Ferrari shared team-high honors with two assists and had an SDSU-best three steals. In net, Rachel Mitchell made eight saves.
San Diego State will return to action on Saturday when it makes the short trip north to La Jolla for the UCSD Triton Invitational. The Aztecs will face No. 18 UC Santa Barbara in Triton Pool at 9:20 a.m. PT.
No. 13 San Diego State 12, Hartwick 7
Aztec Aquaplex; San Diego, Calif.
HC 1-2-2-2--7
SDSU 2-4-2-4--12
Hartwick goals: Mihajlovik 3, Tait 2, Cuesta, McKenty
SDSU goals: Hermann 4, Benekou 2, Israels 2, Ferrari, Gums, Hoetker, Magro
Hartwick saves: Davies 6
SDSU goals: Mitchell 8