Feb. 14, 2016
SAN DIEGO - No. 18 San Diego State won its second straight game with an 8-7 victory over No. 22 Long Beach State Sunday morning at the UCSD Triton Invitational. The win moved the Aztecs to 3-4 on the season and sent them to the ninth-place game.
Caroline Israels helped SDSU take an early 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the game and cushion nearly held for the entire quarter, until Alexandra Massier leveled the score with 49 seconds left.
In the second quarter, the Aztecs and 49ers struggled to find the back of the cage, but Ioli Benekou ended both teams' scoreless streak with a goal nearly five minutes in. But like the first period, LBSU had an answer, this time from Tori Morrissey. San Diego State, however, closed the half with strikes from Benekou and Nikole Ferrari to help it take a 4-2 lead at halftime.
The Aztecs stretched their lead to 6-2 in methodical fashion. Benekou scored twice more in the first 4:55 of the third quarter and SDSU maintained its lead for the next two minutes. Long Beach State got going from an offensive standpoint in the final few minutes as Massier, Emily Garczynski and Jessica Brooks each scored in a span of 2:06 to pull the 49ers to within one. But with under 30 seconds to play, Israels provided the Aztecs a bit of breathing room with her second goal of the day.
Nursing a 7-5 lead, San Diego State successfully defended Long Beach State's first handful of possessions of the fourth quarter, but the 49ers finally broke through with another Morrissey goal with 4:18 left. The Aztecs took their one-goal lead into the final 90 seconds only to have Israels score what would be the game-winner with 1:26 showing on the game clock. SDSU's defense took over from there and allowed one more goal, but with only eight seconds left, Long Beach State ran out of time to find the equalizer.
The Aztecs will conclude competition at the Triton Invite later today when it faces either No. 17 Indiana or No. 21 Marist. First sprint for the ninth-place game is set for 5:20 p.m. PT.
No. 18 San Diego State 8, No. 22 Long Beach State 7
Canyonview Pool; San Diego, Calif.
SDSU 1-3-3-1—8
LBSU 1-1-3-2—7
SDSU goals: Ioli Benekou 4, Caroline Israels 3, Nikole Ferrari 1
LBSU goals: Alexandra Massier 2, Tori Morrissey 2, Jessica Brooks 1, Emily Garczynski 1, Annabel Harman 1
SDSU saves: Unavailable
LBSU saves: Unavailable