MPSF Women's Water Polo Results, Feb. 11-12
Sunday, Feb. 12
USC 12, Arizona State 2 (UCSD Invitational Championship)
USC 9, Michigan 5 (UCSD Invitational Semifinals)
Recap by USC
LA JOLLA, CALIF. — The No. 2 USC women’s water polo team put its silencers on in the fourth period of both contests today to top off another run to a Triton Invitational championship. In the semifinal round against No. 6 Michigan, USC worked out ahead of the Wolverines to notch a 9-5 win and move on to the title match. There, the Trojans whipped up an 8-0 scoring rally to render No. 5 Arizona State silent down the stretch and claim a 12-2 victory over the Sun Devils to earn the tournament crown. USC is now 14-0 overall on the year after a winning weekend in La Jolla.
After taking an early hit on a 5-meter penalty shot to start the semifinal bout against Michigan, USC rattled off the next four goals to work out ahead 4-1. Another Michigan strike made it 4-2 for halftime, with freshman Maud Megens getting to the back of the next twice for the Trojans in that opening stretch. Michigan would close the gap down to one on two occasions in the third, but when the Wolverines cut it to 5-4 the Trojans issued a swift reply. Brianna Daboub, Kelsey McIntosh and Avery Peterson rifled in goals next for the Trojan cause, bumping USC’s advantage to 8-4. Michigan would get one to go before the close of the third, but USC clamped down in the fourth. A shutout final frame paired with one last USC goal from Brigitta Games, and USC had that ticket to the title match in-hand with a 9-5 win over Michigan. Amanda Longan registered eight saves for the Trojans in goal to help anchor USC to the win.
In the championship, USC again surrendered the first goal of the contest. And again the Trojans clicked back into gear. Again, Megens delivered the early equalizer, keeping the teams level at 1-1 after one period of play. In the next frame, goalie Victória Chamorro interrupted the ASU attack with a couple key steals and stops while McIntosh punched in the go-ahead goal. Annika Jensen would pad the lead to 3-1 before halftime, and USC would take control in the second half of action. USC’s ball movement helped up the Trojans’ production. Hayley McKelvey finished off a nice series for USC only to see ASU connect to make it 4-2. The Trojans poured on a run of eight consecutive goals next, rendering the Sun Devils scoreless as USC crafted a 12-2 lead entering the final minute of the game. One last big save from Chamorro — her 12th save of the game — wrapped up the resounding victory for the Trojans, while Stephania Haralabidis finished off a hat trick during the surge to victory.
Next up for USC is a trip to Irvine next week for action at the UCI Invitational, offering up another chance for the Trojans to defend a tournament crown. Competition runs Feb. 24-26 out at the Anteater Aquatics Center.
Arizona State 9, UC Irvine 8 (UCSD Invitational Semifinals)
Recap by ASU
The Sun Devils jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter, as Alkistis Benekou and Maud Koopman both netted goals in the first five minutes of the game, but a late goal by UC Irvine's Allie Loomis sent the game to the second quarter with ASU clinging to just a one-goal lead.
ASU separated themselves from the Anteaters in the second quarter, combining for four goals to push their lead to 6-3 heading into the half.
Following back-to-back ASU goals in the first two minutes of the third quarter, UCI ended the frame with a pair of goals themselves to send the game to the final quarter with ASU up 8-5.
The Sun Devils, again, opened the scoring in the fourth as Benekou netted her eighth goal of the tournament to give ASU a 9-5 lead with just over seven minutes to play. The Anteaters would not go quietly, however, as UCI rattled off three straight goals in the weighing minutes of the game.
The Sun Devil defense would ultimately bend, but not break, as Mia Rycraw would anchor ASU with 16 saves to preserve the 9-8 Arizona State victory. The 16 saves by Rycraw, set a new season high for the junior, who recorded 15 saves in the opening day of the tournament.
Saturday, Feb. 11
*California 16, CSU BAKERSFIELD 5
Recap by Cal
BAKERSFIELD – Emma Wright scored seven goals – tying for the second-most in a game in Cal history - and the No. 4 Cal women's water polo team routed No. 24 Cal State Bakersfield 16-5 in its Mountain Pacific Sports Federation opener on Saturday afternoon. Wright, a freshman from Lindsay, Ontario who signed with the Golden Bears in 2014 but deferred her enrollment to train with the Canadian National Team, scored goals on the first three shots of the game and four of the first five. Three of her scores came on the 6-on-5. Sophomore Rachael Lewin added three goals for Cal (9-1) while senior Stephanie Mutafyan added two. The Bears played the game without two of their three Olympians – Roser Tarrago and Anna Illes. Sophomore goalie Madison Tagg played the entire game in the cage for the Bears and registered eight saves. She turned away two CSU Bakersfield penalty shots. Wright fell one goal short of tying the school record of eight goals in a single game, set by Colette Glinkowski in 1997. She tied Dana Ochsner for the second-most in a game by a Cal player – Ochsner scored seven in a game as a freshman in 2010. The Bears return to action next Saturday when they host the California Speedo Cup II at Legends Aquatic Center. Teams involved are Cal, Stanford, Santa Clara and the New York Athletic Club.