March 13, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - For the second time on the day, the No. 19 Arizona State University water polo team put up a valiant effort against a Top 10-ranked team as it faced No. 9 Indiana Sunday night at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe. A four-goal run by the Hoosiers in the second quarter proved to be the difference as the visitors downed the Sun Devils, 6-5. The loss pushed ASU's record 5-10 overall (1-3 MPSF).
Earlier in the day, the Sun Devils faced No. 3 Long Beach State and gave the 49ers a solid game. In the end, however, ASU fell to its conference foe, 7-3.
Against the Hoosiers, Ashley Bower (So., Bondi Beach, Australia) put the home team ahead first as she recorded a goal at the 2:52 mark to an early 1-0 margin. But, on IU's ensuing possession, the Hoosiers drew an exclusion and immediately scored a power-play goal to tie the game at one at the end of one quarter of play. The visitors look their first lead of the game as Carolyn Conway scored 31 seconds into the period. Kandace Waldthaler added two goals for IU, including a 4-meter penalty shot, to push the advantage to 4-1 before a Sun Devil goal cut the lead to 4-2. On the scoring play, Tessa Wyborny (Jr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) took the ball to the right wing and found a wide-open Adriane Mota (Jr., Long Beach, Calif.) at the 2-meter position for the quick strike with 11 seconds remaining in the half.
Following the intermission, the Sun Devils closed the deficit to one goal as Bower again found the back of the net at the 5:03 mark. But, once again, the Hoosiers struck back for a goal at the 4:35 mark to reestablish its two-goal cushion. With 1:41 remaining the third, Katie Hedley (So., Lake Forest, Calif.) added a goal to cut the lead again to one goal. The Hoosiers again responded, this time on a 6-on-5 advantage, to take a 6-4 lead into the final period. Following several near makes and unlucky bounces, the Sun Devils recorded their fifth goal of the contest as Bower completed her hat trick with 1:50 remaining. But the IU defense shut down the ASU attack to win, 6-5.
Overall, Caylinn Wallace (Fr., Laguna Hills, Calif.) recorded nine saves while her IU counterpart, Jessica Goldner, tallied 12 in the game. For the weekend, the Sun Devils and Hoosiers both went 1-2 with ASU upsetting No. 13 UC Irvine, 5-3, on Saturday.
ASU returns to conference action this week as it travels to a showdown with No. 5 Hawai'i Thursday at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i. Following the game, the Sun Devils will remain on the islands to take part in the Aloha Classic. Opponents and game times for the tournament, which will run Saturday and Sunday, will be announced later this week.