April 22, 2002
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - The inaugural season of Arizona State women's water polo came to a close Saturday, with the Sun Devils splitting a pair of games at Cal State Bernardino's Coyote Aquatic Center. ASU lost a close 6-5 contest to the host school, before winning its season finale, a 12-2 landslide victory over Chapman University. The Sun Devils end the season with an overall record of 10-17.
Game one saw Cal State San Bernardino jump out to a 3-1 lead in the first quarter and the Sun Devils answered with two goals in the second frame to tie the score going into halftime. With the game tied at five in the fourth period, CSUSB freshman Sarah Reneker scored the last of her three goals to lift the Coyotes to the win.
Leading the way for the Sun Devils in game one were senior Kim Yost and sophomore Catherine Taber, scoring two goals apiece. Freshman Lauren Jacobson also added a goal, while senior goalie Nancy Holmes pulled down eight saves. Yost and freshman Bryn Kuech helped Holmes anchor the defense with four steals each.
Game two against Chapman featured a 12-2 scoring barrage by ASU. Eight different Sun Devils found the net, led by sophomore Ashley Orzalli's hat trick. Yost and Kuech each scored twice, while Jacobson, junior Kelly Prezkop, sophomore Kim Currie, junior Robin Kimbrell and Holmes scored once. In addition to her two goals, Yost also tallied four assists, accounting for half of ASU's goal production. Holmes recorded five saves, while junior Kristen Gilcrease made one.
Chapman's two goals both came in the first quarter, as the ASU defense held its final opponent of the 2002 season scoreless through the rest of the game. Prezkop, Kuech and freshman Lena Soghomonian tallied four steals each.
ASU will again operate as an independent next season and will join the MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) in time for the 2004 season.