Three MPSF Teams Win Invitational Titles
Feb. 9, 2009
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USC (0-0 MPSF, 5-0 overall) recorded a perfect 4-0 weekend to win the Stanford Invitational, defeating No. 7 Arizona State (19-9), No. 18 Indiana (13-5), No. 2 Stanford (12-10, OT), and No. 4 Hawaii (11-3) in the finals. Michelle Stein scored three goals in the championship, while freshman goalkeeper Ilse van der Meijden picked up 15 saves. The Trojans also won their opener last Wednesday against No. 14 Hartwick (18-4). Top-ranked USC hosts UC Irvine Saturday (Feb. 14) and CS Northridge Sunday (Feb. 15).
CALIFORNIA (0-0 MPSF, 12-0 overall) claimed the Colorado State Invitational with five wins, extending its unbeaten record to 12-0. The Bears ousted the host Colorado State twice (20-9, 15-7), Fresno Pacific twice (23-4, 22-8), and UC Santa Cruz (18-3). In the final game vs. the Rams, goalkeeper Stephanie Peckham collected 10 saves and Camille Hewko scored five goals. Cal visits San Jose State Saturday (Feb. 14) in the Bears' MPSF opener.
SAN DIEGO STATE (0-0 MPSF, 6-0 overall) won six games this past week to begin the season, topped off with claiming the UC San Diego Invitational Championship. The Aztecs defeated Maryland (14-6), No. 12 UC Irvine (10-8), No. 8 Michigan (9-6), and No. 9 UC Davis (12-8) in La Jolla. In the title game win over the Aggies, Anna Gonzales posted four goals and freshman Kelly Campoli registered 14 saves. SDSU also topped No. 14 Hartwick (15-12) and Marist (12-3) at home earlier in the week. The Aztecs' MPSF opener is at UCLA Friday (Feb. 13).
SAN JOSE STATE (1-0 MPSF, 7-4 overall) picked up a huge MPSF upset at home over No. 4 Hawaii (10-8, OT) last Wednesday. The Spartans overcame a 7-2 deficit in the third quarter, much thanks to the Freshmen. Dani Curran and Kelly Stewart fueled the comeback with three goals each, while Allie Stewart scored twice. Freshman goalkeeper Meagan Minson stopped 13 shots. The Spartans, who also picked up an 11-6 victory over No. 7 Arizona State for fifth-place at the Stanford Invitational, host 12-0 California in MPSF action Saturday (Feb. 14).
STANFORD (1-0 MPSF, 5-1 overall) won three of four as it hosted the Stanford Invitational this past weekend. The No. 2 Cardinal doubled-up on UCLA (10-5) in the third-place game, following a shootout win over No. 7 Arizona State (15-14) and a Saturday rout of No. 18 Indiana (11-2). Stanford is also in the MPSF win column with an 8-6 home victory over No. 4 Hawaii. Junior Kelly Eaton scored a hat trick in the third-place Invitational win and in the conference win. The Cardinal host Sonoma State and UC Santa Cruz Saturday (Feb. 14).
HAWAII (0-1 MPSF, 6-3 overall) snapped UCLA's 46-game win streak that dated back nearly two full years, with a 13-12 comeback win Saturday at the Stanford Invite. Hawaii trailed 9-5 at the half and 10-8 after three quarters. The outcome marked the first-ever win for the Rainbow Wahine over the Bruins in 32 meetings. Kelly Mason nailed six goals. Hawaii, which placed second in Palo Alto following an 11-3 loss to No. 1 USC, is off this week.
UCLA (0-0 MPSF, 5-2 overall) took fourth at the Stanford Invite, falling to the host Cardinal, 10-5. The Bruins topped San Jose State 13-6 to reach the third-place game. Anne Belden, KK Clark, and Tanya Gandy all nailed hat tricks in the win. San Diego State and Loyola Marymount visit Westwood his weekend (Feb. 13-14), with the game vs. the Aztecs being the conference meeting.
ARIZONA STATE (0-0 MPSF, 7-3 overall) senior Addison McGrath scored four goals as the Sun Devils dropped the fifth-place contest to No. 10 San Jose State (11-6) at the Stanford Invite. In Saturday's 10-9 overtime win over No. 18 Indiana, McGrath poured in her 200th career goal. ASU is off until it competes at the UCI Invite, Feb. 21-22.
STEIN AND GONZALES MPSF MIKASA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Woodland, Calif. - USC senior Michelle Stein (Palm Desert, CA/ Palm Desert HS) put away 13 goals in the Trojans' first five games of the season last week (2.60 GPG). She scored 10 goals in four wins at the Stanford Invitational, including the last of her four-goal effort in overtime against the host No. 2 Cardinal. In the championship win, Stein nailed another hat trick to help lift her team to an 11-3 win over No. 4 Hawaii.
Woodland, Calif. - San Diego State senior Anna Gonzales (Fresno, CA/ Clovis West HS) had one of the more dominating weeks in MPSF water polo history. She poured in 22 goals (3.67 GPG) in the first six games of the season, leading the Aztecs to another UCSD Invite Title and a 6-0 start. Gonzales' six-goal effort vs. No. 14 Hartwick ranks third in the SDSU single-game record books. She added hat-trick performances vs. No. 8 Michigan, No. 9 UC Davis, and No. 12 UC Irvine.