SAN DIEGO – Eight Aztecs found the back of the net, led by Mimi Stoupas' four goals, as the No. 24-ranked San Diego State water polo team defeated the Azusa Pacific Cougars in SDSU's Golden Coast Conference home opener on Friday afternoon at Aztec Aquaplex.
In addition to Stoupas' four tallies, Sofia Righetti, Kendall Houck, Rose Kanemy, Shannon Murphy, Hannah Bell, Claudia Valdes and Danni Croteau scored goals in the game. Tiaare Ahovelo and Ava Ratajczak split time in goal with Ahovelo playing the first 16 minutes giving up five goals and making two saves and Ratajczak letting in five goals as well and making three saves in earning the victory.
Kanemy got the scoring going with a strike just 16 seconds in and SDSU (12-11, 1-1 GCC) maintained that lead until the 6:06 mark when APU tied it up. Eleven seconds later, Houck put the home team back in front, but her goal was followed by a pair from the Cougars and with 4:10 to go in the period the Aztecs trailed 3-2. Murphy picked up the final goal of the quarter, at the 3:07 mark, and the teams went to the second quarter tied 3-3.
Stoupas scored her first goal of the game 52 seconds into the second period, but Azusa Pacific (12-9, 1-2 GCC) answered at the 5:19 mark to tie the game at 4-4. Righetti's goal with 4:18 to play before the break put SDSU back in front, but 14 seconds later the Cougars matched it to make it 5-5. Croteau then scored with 3:39 to go to send the Aztecs to halftime up 6-5.
APU scored the first two goals coming out of the intermission to forge a 7-6 advantage. Stoupas got the equalizer on her second goal of the game to tie things at the 3:53 mark, 7-7. The Cougars went back in front with 2:36 left in the period, but Bell banged the back of the net with 1:47 on the clock to send the game to the final eight minutes tied 8-8.
In the fourth quarter, Valdes and Stoupas got the first two tallies of the period, at the 7:17 and 6:00 marks, respectively. Azusa Pacific clawed back one of the goals, but Stoupas got what would eventually get the game winner with 5:12 to play. APU picked up the final goal of the game with 4:53 left on the clock and SDSU swam away with the 11-10 victory.
The Aztecs wrap up the weekend's action on Saturday against No. 20 Pacific at the Aquaplex. The game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. and a link to live stats is at the team's schedule page at www.goaztecs.com.
Azusa Pacific: 3-2-3-2 – 10
San Diego State: 3-3-2-3 – 11
Azusa Pacific Goals: Akritidou (4), De Bie (2), Ahumada (1), Boix Pascual (1), Ochoa (1), Perez (1),
San Diego State Goals: Stoupas (4), Bell (1), Croteau (1), Houck (1), Kanemy (1), Murphy (1), Righetti (1), Valdes (1)
Azusa Pacific Saves: Herrero Miralles (5), Airitam (4)
San Diego State Saves: Ratajczak (3), Ahovelo (2)
No. 24 Water Polo takes GCC Home Opener Over APU
