Feb. 8, 2015
SAN DIEGO - No. 13 San Diego State split a pair of games on the final day of the UCSD Triton Invitational. The Aztecs were upended by No. 12 UC San Diego, 9-7, before returning to Triton Pool to defeat Hartwick, 12-6. With Sunday's results, SDSU finishes its opening week with a 3-2 record.
In the game vs. the Tritons, the Aztecs were clicking on all cylinders early, getting single goals from Nikole Ferrari, Caroline Israels and Anique Hermann in the first 3 minutes, 7 seconds, before UCSD closed the first quarter with a pair of goals.
Things continued to go well for San Diego State in the second quarter, so much so, that as the shot clock was expiring, Taylor Gums drew a penalty, which led to a successful Ioli Benekou penalty attempt. The Aztecs ended up taking a 6-2 lead after both Hermann and Benekou added their second goals of the game. But like the first quarter, UCSD ended the period with two goals and SDSU took a 6-4 lead into halftime.
The third quarter was the opposite of the first two as only one goal was scored. Unfortunately for the Aztecs, they were not the side that found the back of the net. UC San Diego was the team that did and it occurred just past the mid-way mark from Kayla Fedler.
Despite being blanked, San Diego State still enjoyed a one-goal lead entering the fourth quarter, but the advantage was short-lived as the Tritons scored twice in the first two minutes to take a 7-6 lead. Hermann knotted the score at 7-7 when SDSU earned a kick-out and the senior wasted no time in pocketing her third goal of the game. UCSD moved ahead, 8-7, with just under five minutes to play, was able to thwart every Aztec offensive possession down the stretch and added another goal to turn away San Diego State.
Three hours later, the Aztecs returned to the pool to face a Hartwick team it faced this past Thursday and made quick work of the Hawks, scoring six times in the first quarter. Alyssa Diacono opened the game with two goals in less than two minutes with Israels adding another 34 seconds after Diacono's second. SDSU ended the first eight minutes with a pair of goals from Hermann and one from Ferrari to complete the scoring.
Hartwick posted its first two goals of the game in the second quarter and did not allow the Aztecs to increase their goal total. In the third quarter, however, SDSU snapped its drought when Taylor Gums found the back of the net just 31 seconds in. The Hawks responded with two additional goals, but Hermann sent San Diego State to an 8-4 lead with her fourth of the game just before the end of the period. In the final stanza, SDSU outscored the Hawks, 4-2, to give it the six-goal win.
The Aztecs are back in action on Friday when they open Golden Coast Conference action at Fresno Pacific. Game time is set for 7 p.m. PT.
No. 12 UC San Diego 9, No. 13 San Diego State 7
Triton Pool; San Diego, Calif.
SDSU 3-3-0-1--7
UCSD 2-2-1-4--9
SDSU goals: Hermann 3, Benekou 2, Ferrari, Israels
UCSD goals: Fedler 2, Kirkland 2, Wieseler 2, Finwall, Sasson, Tittle
SDSU saves: Mitchell 8
UCSD saves: unavailable
No. 13 San Diego State 12, Hartwick 6
Triton Pool; San Diego, Calif.
SDSU 6-0-2-4--12
HC 0-2-2-2--6
SDSU goals: Hermann 4, Diacono 2, Ferrari 2, Israels 2, Benekou, Gums
HC goals: Cuesta 3, Brennan, Mihajlovik, Tait
SDSU saves: unavailable
HC saves: unavailable