March 17, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - Despite the location, the No. 19 Arizona State University water polo team's game at No. 5 Hawai'i was anything but paradise. In their first game off the main land of the United States, the Sun Devils suffered an 11-6 defeat to the Rainbow Wahine in MPSF play Thursday at the Duke Kahanamaku Aquatic Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The loss drops ASU's record to 5-11 on the season and 1-4 in MPSF action while UH improved to 8-6 overall and 3-2 in the league.
The Rainbow Wahine got off to a fast start as they tallied a 1-0 lead just 21 seconds into the contest. After both teams failed to convert, Tessa Wyborny (Jr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) scored on a 6-on-5 advantage to tie the game at one. Less than a minute later, Kimberlee Stevens (Jr., Lodi, Calif.) found the back of the net, again on an advantage situation-play, to give the Sun Devils the lead. But, UH would tally twice in the waning moments of the opening stanza to take a 3-2 lead.
In the second quarter, UH added to its lead with a goal before Ashley Bower (So., Bondi Beach, Australia) scored to being ASU back to within one goal. Again, the Rainbow Wahine responded, this time adding a pair of strikes to take a 6-3 lead into the intermission. Following the break, UH picked up where it had left off and scored three more goals before Katie Hedley (So., Lake Forest, Calif.) halted the host's five-goal streak with a tally of her own with 42 seconds remaining in the period.
Trailing 9-4 heading into the final quarter of play, ASU looked to make a comeback, but again, UH tallied to stake a seven-goal lead with 5 minutes remaining. Bower did add her second goal of the contest less than one minute later, but it was not nearly enough to get ASU back in the game. UH would go on to add another score before Elaine Bentley (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) tallied to bring the final to 11-6.
Following their training sessions in Honolulu, the Sun Devils will take a week off from competition before playing host to a pair of Top 10 conference foes. The Sun Devils will meet No. 1 UCLA at noon on April 2 before taking on No. 8 UC Santa Barbara in a noon contest on April 3. Both games will be played at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe.
DATE OPPONENT 1 2 3 4 F ---- -------------------- -- -- -- -- -- 3-17 #19 Arizona State 2 1 1 2 6 at #5 Hawai'i 3 3 3 2 11
ASU Saves: Wallace (5) ASU Goals: Bower (2), Bentley, Hedley, Stevens, Wyborny