Sun Devils Stay Hot, Visit No. 1 UCLA
March 12, 2012
MPSF Women's Water Polo Weekly Release - 3/12/12
ARIZONA STATE (16-2 Overall/2-0 MPSF) carried on with the best start in team history, once again earning perhaps its biggest win ever with a 10-7 outcome over No. 4 California last Saturday in Tempe. ASU was in control all day, leading 4-1 in the first period. Alicia Brightwell posted a hat trick, and Ianeta Hutchinson had 13 saves in the cage. The Sun Devils head to Pomona for a Sunday (Mar. 18) doubleheader, after Saturday's showdown at No. 1 UCLA.
UCLA (14-1 Overall/3-0 MPSF) withstood upset-minded San Jose State last Saturday in Westwood, coming back from a 5-4 deficit in the fourth quarter to win 7-5. The Bruins scored three straight goals in the final 3:44, including a game-tying and winning strike from Sarah Orozco. Emily Greenwood also scored twice, and goalkeeper Caitlin Dement collected eight saves. The Bruins host Arizona State Saturday (Mar. 17) in a battle of MPSF unbeatens.
USC (12-3 Overall/2-1 MPSF) picked up its second conference win this past Friday, 13-5 at home over No. 6 San Diego State. The Trojans scored seven straight goals from early in the second quarter until late in the third, opening up a 3-2 game. Four players scored twice, including Colleen O'Donnell, Constance Hiller, Kaleigh Gilchrist, and Monica Vavic. USC is off until March 22 when Long Beach State visits.
STANFORD (14-1 Overall/2-0 MPSF) broke open a 4-3 halftime edge at Hawaii, into a 12-4 final outcome to move to 2-0 in conference play. Kiley Neushul posted a hat trick, a game-high, while Cassie Churnside and Pallavi Menon each scored a pair of second-half goals to lead the 8-1 run. Stanford breaks for final exams, next in the water on Mar. 25 at UC Santa Barbara.
SAN JOSE STATE (12-8 Overall/0-3 MPSF) came within 4:25 of one of its biggest wins in program history, taking No. 1 UCLA the distance last Saturday. Anna Natalizio recorded a hat trick, including a goal that put the Spartans ahead halfway through the fourth quarter. Meagan Minson stopped eight shots in the cage. San Jose State is off this week, next in action at Hawaii on Mar. 24 as MPSF continues.
SAN DIEGO STATE (11-6 Overall/0-3 MPSF) fell 13-5 at No. 3 USC and 12-10 at No. 8 UC Irvine this past weekend. Leanne Ford put away four goals in Irvine, while Anique Hermann scored twice. Kelly Campoli picked up 10 saves in goal. Taelor Moreno scored twice in Los Angeles. The Aztecs host five games this week, beginning Thursday (Mar. 15) against Hawaii in MPSF action, followed by a weekend invitational.
HAWAII (4-7 Overall/0-3 MPSF) held tough with No. 2 Stanford in the first-half last Saturday at home. Monique Wilson, Amarens Genee, Caity Lopes da Silva, and Emily Carr each scored for the Rainbow Wahine. Hawaii flies to San Diego this week to face the SDSU in a Thursday conference clash. While there, UH also takes on Indiana, Wagner, Bucknell, and UC San Diego in the weekend Aztec Invitational.
CALIFORNIA (15-5 Overall/2-1 MPSF) came up short at No. 5 Arizona State, 10-7, as Breda Vosters attempted to rally the Bears back in the fourth quarter with three goals in the final six minutes of the game. Lindsay Dorst had seven saves in goal. California is off this week, next competing on Mar. 24 at San Diego State in an MPSF game.
ALICIA BRIGHTWELL KAP 7 MPSF PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Arizona State senior Alicia Brightwell (Sydney, Australia/Univ. of Sydney) had three goals to lead the Sun Devils to perhaps their biggest victory in team history, 10-7 over No. 4 California. She scored at least three goals for the 12th time this season. Brightwell scored once each in the first two periods, before completing her hat trick with 3:40 left in the game to put ASU up 9-5 to essentially seal the game. This is Brightwell's third MPSF honor of the year. Also Nominated: Pallavi Menon (STAN); Sarah Orozco (UCLA)
KILEY NEUSHUL KAP 7 MPSF NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Stanford freshman Kiley Neushul (Goleta, CA/Dos Pueblos HS) posted three goals in the 12-4 win at Hawai'i Saturday. Neushul scored twice in the second period, giving the Cardinal leads of 3-2 and 4-3 before halftime. She finished off the hat trick with a fourth-period goal as Stanford improved to 2-0 in conference play. This is Neushul's third MPSF honor of the year.