Feb. 25, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - The first day of competition for the No. 18 Arizona State University water polo team ended Friday with the Sun Devils falling to undefeated and top-ranked UCLA, 20-8, at the Daktronics Gaucho Invitational in Santa Barbara, Calif. The Sun Devils (1-5), who dropped their fourth game in a row, saw six different players score on offense, but it was not enough as the Bruins (11-0) remained perfect on the season.
After UCLA scored 20 seconds into the contest and added another tally 40 seconds later, Raelyn Ritchie (So., Newport Beach, Calif.) cut into the Bruins' advantage with a goal at the 5:14 mark in the opening period. After UCLA scored at the 3:53 mark, Ashley Bower (So., Bondi Beach, Australia) added to her team-leading goal total with a tally at 3:21. With the score at 3-2, UCLA exploded on the offensive side of the ball as they added four more scores to close out the first quarter with a 7-2 lead.
The second stanza saw much of the same as UCLA expanded their lead by scoring the first six goals of the quarter before Kim Buck (Fr., Lisle, Ill.) and Shelby Slay (Jr., Baytown, Texas) added back-to-back scores to cut the deficit to 13-4. But, with only three seconds showing on the clock prior to intermission, the Bruins added another goal to take a 14-4 lead at the break.
The third quarter saw Bower strike again before UCLA answered back at the 3:17 mark. Elaine Bentley (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) followed that with her first goal of the contest before the Bruins added another two goals to take a 17-6 lead into the final quarter of play. In the final stanza, Bentley led off with her second goal of the game before UCLA countered with two more scores. With 1:13 remaining in the game, Kim Doll (Jr., Irvine, Calif.) added the final ASU score of the game before UCLA tallied with 20 seconds remaining to bring about the final 20-8 score.
The Sun Devils will play one game Saturday in the 23-team event, although their opponent and time of game will be determined early that morning.