Feb. 8, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. - The first game the No. 20 Arizona State water polo team played as a nationally ranked squad did not go as planned Saturday at the Sun Devils were handed a 10-2 defeat by No. 4 Long Beach State at the UC San Diego Arena Invitational. ASU was limited to one goal in each half as the physical 49ers put another tally in the Sun Devils' record, dropping them to 3-2 on the year while LBSU won its season opener.
Daya Mau (Fr., Honolulu, Hawaii) and Holly Newman (Fr., San Diego, Calif.) were the lone scorers for the Sun Devils with Mau's goal coming on a four-meter penalty shot that was drawn by the play of Catharine Taber (Jr., Clayton, Calif.). Cassie Azevedo led the 49ers with four goals on the day while two of her teammates added two apiece.
LBSU led at the end of the first, 2-0, and built a 5-1 lead heading into he half. ASU was held scoreless in the third while the 49ers had their largest offensive output of the game, caging four goals to put the score at 9-1. Both teams scored in the final stanza to bring the score to 10-2 at the final horn. Defensively for the Sun Devils, Lizzy Houck (Fr., San Diego, Calif.) made nine saves in goal.
The Sun Devils fell into the fourth pool of championship play and will meet Cal Baptist Sunday at 7 a.m. PST. ASU also will face No. 12 UC Irvine at 3 p.m. PST to conclude play in the event.\