March 20, 2004
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 18 Arizona State water polo team dropped an 11-3 decision to No. 5 Long Beach State Saturday in Long Beach, Calif., as the Sun Devils returned to the road for a single contest. Katie Davis (Sr., Riverside, Calif.) netted a pair of goals in the contest to run her current points streak to 17 games in a row as the Sun Devils slipped to 7-10 (1-4 MPSF) this season. LBSU is 12-4 overall and 3-4 in the conference.
The host 49ers jumped to an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter before padding the advantage with another two goals to open the second stanza. ASU cut into the lead with Davis' first goal of the contest before LBSU tallied its sixth goal to take a 6-1 advantage into the break. Kimberlee Stevens (So., Lodi, Calif.) and Davis each scored to open the third stanza and cut the lead in half, but the 49ers struck back with two more goals in the third to put the game away. In the final quarter, LBSU added four more goals for the final, 11-3.
Stevens and Katie Hedley (Fr., Lake Forest, Calif.) each added assists in the contest while Jennifer Sanderson (Jr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) recorded seven saves in goal for the Sun Devils. ASU had the man-advantage 10 times in the contest and was only able to convert three chances while the Sun Devil defense defended six of the seven 49er advantages.
The Sun Devils return to action Thursday with a 6 p.m. contest against No. 7 California in Tempe. On Saturday, the team will host the ASU Invitational with four games being contested at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. California will face No. 19 Cal Baptist at 9:30 a.m. before ASU and No. 4 San Diego State face-off at 11 a.m. In the second session of play, Cal and SDSU will play at 3 p.m. while ASU and CBU meet at 6 p.m.