May 1, 2016
Pacific-San Diego State Final Box
SAN DIEGO - Caroline Israels scored the game-winner in the second sudden-victory overtime period to propel top-seeded San Diego State to a 10-9 win over second-seeded Pacific in the Golden Coast Conference championship game at Aztec Aquaplex. With the triumph, SDSU earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
"What a game," Aztec head coach Carin Crawford said. "We had been on the losing end of two sudden-victory situations during the season and we felt it was our time to get one going our way. The girls battled so hard and we gutted out a win.
"It was an amazing shot by Caroline Israels," Crawford added. "She's our money shooter and I think she got tired of having this thing going back and forth, and put away an amazing game-winner."
The winner came just 25 seconds into the second winner-take-all frame, which started off on the right note when Israels won the sprint after UOP (16-17) had secured the previous five. The Aztecs (17-16) set up their offense with Nikole Ferrari at the point and the senior fed Israels, who was to Ferrari's right. From there, the junior fired a missile into the near side of the cage and the shot had too much velocity for Alexis Hollinrake to stop, sending SDSU into celebration mode.
The game itself lived up to the billing with the GCC's top two teams going head-to-head. The Tigers struck first on the first possession of the afternoon as Karolina Hlavata threw a backhand from two meters. SDSU, however, closed the first half with a goal from Alyssa Diacono at set off a pass from Israels (4:26) and then received the go-ahead from Tayla Walsh on a wicked cross-cage goal with a Tiger draped all over her.
In the second quarter, the teams traded goals after nearly three-and-a-half minutes of scoreless action. Megan Torre leveled the score with 4:39 left in the first half, but Israels put the Aztecs back on top with her successful attempt from six meters. A Torre lob goal and a Hlavata strike sandwiched a Makena Magro score from straightaway, which was assisted by Ioli Benekou, to send the game to halftime tied at 4-apiece.
The defense by both teams started to tighten up after intermission as the scoreboard was stuck at 4-4 for nearly the first four minutes. Courtney Jarvis, however, changed things with a 6-on-5 goal from the near side with 4:06 to go in the period. The Jarvis goal would be the only offense San Diego State would enjoy as it could not find the back of the net in the final four minutes. UOP, however, received another lob goal from Torre and a low skipping goal from Viktoria Szmodics to help the Tigers to a 6-5 lead entering the final eight minutes of regulation.
Pacific opened the fourth quarter by winning the sprint, but SDSU extinguished the Tigers threat and quickly went the other way. A pass was sent out in front of Katy Schneider and the junior threw the ball toward the net, but the game-tying attempt floated the near the goal line and never crossed it. Despite the misfortune, the Aztecs stopped Pacific on defense again and Taylor Gums answered with a goal from set just as SDSU was awarded a 6-on-4 situation to lock the score at 6-6.
The goal was the first of three straight stellar sequences from Gums. The senior on SDSU's next possession drew an ejection, which led to Walsh finding Gums for yet another goal. Not satisfied, Gums made a key steal to help preserve a 7-6 Aztec lead.
Two straight Pacific goals, one from Hlavata on a power play and one from Rachel Krieger, moved the visitors ahead, 8-7, with 3:55 to go in regulation. Two minutes passed without either team scoring until Hannah Carrillo found Ferrari on a 6-on-5 opportunity and the senior punched in the equalizer with 1:44 to go.
The final moments of the fourth showcased the strong goalkeeping effort from both teams. First was Hollinrake, who stopped Israels. Then on the next possession with a chance to win the game, Pacific was stonewalled by Mitchell with 6.8 seconds left to send the game into OT.
The first three-minute overtime session was a back-and-forth affair that featured zero scoring. In the second OT period, the Aztecs appeared to be on their way to winning the game when Carrillo sent a pass into Israels, who drew a five-meter penalty, which Benekou converted with 2:00 showing on the clock. But in a hectic sequence during Pacific's possession, San Diego State was whistled for a penalty, which was cashed in by Szmodics with 88 seconds left. Mitchell, who had 15 saves, ended the frame with another fantastic effort as she scooped the ball away from the goal line with 40 seconds left, forcing more bonus water polo.
The first three-minute sudden-victory stanza was identical to the first regular OT frame as in there was no scoring, which set up the thrilling finish capped by Israels' second of the game.
At the end of the Championship, Israels and Walsh were named to the all-GCC tournament squad and the duo was joined by Mitchell, who was also named tourney MVP.
With the win, the Aztecs become the first GCC program to sweep both the regular-season and tournament crowns. The tourney title is the first, regardless of conference, in program history and it gives the SDSU athletic department 32 league championships since the start of 2012-13.
"I couldn't be happier for our seniors to win our conference championship at home in the first year the Golden Coast Conference has an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament," Crawford said. "All of the girls have worked really hard and we're looking forward to seeing who we're matched up with at NCAAs."
The Aztecs will be making their third trip to the NCAA Championship and their first since 2008. SDSU also advanced to the national tournament in 2007.
San Diego State will find out who it will be paired with in the NCAA field on Monday, May 2, at 5 p.m. PT when the Selection Show airs on NCAA.com.
[1] No. 15 San Diego State 10, [2] No. 16 Pacific 9
Aztec Aquaplex; San Diego, Calif.
UOP 1-3-2-2--0-1---0-0----9
SDSU 2-2-1-3--0-1---0-1----10
UOP goals: Torre 3, Hlavata 2, Krieger 2, Szmodics 2
SDSU goals: Gums 2, Israels 2, Benekou, Diacono, Ferrari, Jarvis, Magro, Walsh
UOP saves: Hollinrake 16
SDSU saves: Mitchell 15