April 10, 2004
TEMPE, Ariz. - For the second game in a row, the No. 15 Arizona State water polo team faced a conference team ranked in the national Top 3 and, though they battled tough, the Sun Devils (9-14, 2-8 MPSF) fell at the hands of undefeated and No. 1 USC, 13-4, Saturday at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center. ASU got goals from three different players, including a pair of freshmen, but it was not enough as the Trojans extended their winning streak to 19 games in a row and now stand 19-0 (9-0 MPSF).
The first quarter opened and USC took the early lead with a goal by Moriah Van Norman at the 4:25 mark. The Sun Devils responded with Ashley Bower (Fr., Bondi Beach, Australia) knotting the score at one with her lob shot from around eight meters out. USC reclaimed the lead with 1:58 remaining as the Trojans scored on the 6-on-5 advantage.
With the score close, the Trojans played tough defense and added four goals to take a 6-1 halftime lead. In the third quarter, USC added another goal to lead by six goals before Katie Hedley (Fr., Lake Forest, Calif.) scored to cut the score to 7-2. With 18 seconds left, the Sun Devils pounced again as Bower tallied her second goal, again on an outside lob, to cut the lead to four at 7-3. But with three seconds remaining, Van Norman was able to squeak a shot past ASU goalie Jennifer Sanderson (Jr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) to bring the score to 8-3.
In the final stanza, the Trojans tallied four more goals before Jill Szuszkiewicz (Jr., Moreno Valley, Calif.) recorded the first goal of her ASU career. USC would add one final goal before the final horn for a 13-4 victory.
Defensively, Sanderson stopped nine shots while Elizabeth Houck (So., San Diego, Calif.) added one in the fourth quarter of play. For USC, Brittany Hayes led the scoring with four goals while Van Norman added three goals.
The game was the final home contest in the brilliant two-year career of Katie Davis (Sr., Riverside, Calif.). The program's all-time leading steals leader, as well as point and goals, was held without a point for the first time all season in her final contest. Davis did record three more steals, adding to her record total of 166.
The Sun Devils return to the road next weekend for four games at the Long Beach Invitational, April 17-18.