Feb. 25, 2017
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - No. 12 San Diego State earned a 10-8 victory on Saturday afternoon vs. 20th-ranked Loyola Marymount at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational in Newport Beach. The Aztecs improved to 5-6 on the season with one game left in the tournament to be played on Sunday.
Hannah Carrillo got things going for SDSU with a goal just 46 seconds into the contest, but the Lions evened the score less than a minute later. The Aztecs went ahead by two thanks to back-to-back goals from Caroline Israels and Alyssa Diacono and they never looked back despite being outscored, 2-1 in the final 3:36. SDSU ultimately took a 4-3 lead into the second quarter as a result of Israels' second goal with 2:32 remaining.
In the next frame, the Aztecs sandwiched two LMU goals with scores from Carrillo and Benekou, the last of which came with 77 seconds left before halftime. San Diego State led after 16 minutes, 6-5.
The contest between the two Golden Coast Conference mates remained a tight one as both teams matched each other in the third quarter. Makena Magro gave the Aztecs a two-goal cushion at 7-5, but the defense allowed LMU to score with just under three minutes left to make it, 7-6, heading into the final period.
It was in this quarter the Aztecs made their move. SDSU received goals from Diacono, Israels and Benekou in the first 4:04, while keeping the Lions at bay. LMU broke through with 3:40 left and later added another with 23 seconds to go, but its effort was not enough as the Aztecs emerged with the two-goal victory.
San Diego State will wrap up the Kalbus Invitational on Sunday vs. No. 15 Long Beach State. First sprint at Corona del Mar Pool in Newport Beach is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. PT.
No. 12 San Diego State 10, No. 20 Loyola Marymount 8
Corona del Mar Pool; Newport Beach, Calif.
LMU 3-2-1-2—8
SDSU 4-2-1-3—10
LMU goals: Schafer 3, Vilanova 3, St. Oegger 2
SDSU goals: Caroline Israels 3, Ioli Benekou 2, Hannah Carrillo 2, Alyssa Diacono 2, Makena Magro
LMU saves: unavailable
SDSU saves: unavailable