April 16, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - Fresh off its second upset of a national Top 20 team, the No. 16 Arizona State University water polo team took to the road and nearly stunned No. 2 USC at McDonald's Pool in Los Angeles Friday afternoon before falling, 9-8. The Sun Devils (7-14, 3-7 MPSF) had three players record multiple goals on the day, but a late flurry of scoring in the final stanza was not enough to take down the defending NCAA champion Trojans (19-3, 9-1 MPSF).
After the first period of play that saw each team record one goal each, the Trojans took an early 4-1 lead in the second quarter before ASU answered with a pair of strikes to send the game to intermission with a 4-3 advantage for the home side. Following the break and another one goal scored by each team, USC posted four goals in the final period to stake itself to a 9-5 advantage. But the Sun Devils fought back with three goals of their own, but could not tally the equalizer in the final seconds of the contest.
Overall on the offensive side of the game, Adriane Mota (Jr., Long Beach, Calif.), Jessica McDaniel (So., Modesto, Calif.) and Raelyn Ritchie (So., Newport Beach, Calif.) each netted a pair of goals while Ashley Bower (So., Bondi Beach, Australia) added her team-leading 30th score and Elaine Bentley (Jr., San Diego, Calif.) netted a goal of her own. Defensively, Caylinn Wallace (Fr., Laguna Beach, Calif.) recorded seven saves in the cage before making way for Jennifer Sanderson (Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) in the fourth. With 3:45 remaining, Sanderson took over goalie duties and tallied a trio of saves.
The Sun Devils return to the pool for a pair of contests Saturday at the Long Beach Invitational as they are set to face No. 11 UC Irvine and unranked Santa Clara on the first day of the event in Long Beach, Calif. ASU also will face No. 18 Hartwick and No. 20 Cal Baptist Sunday.
Game #21 [Away #5] Record: 7-14 Overall (3-7 MPSF) at Los Angeles, Calif. DATE OPPONENT 1 2 3 4 F ---- -------------------- -- -- -- -- -- 4-15 #16 Arizona State 1 2 1 4 8 #2 USC 1 3 1 4 9
ASU Saves: Wallace (7), Sanderson (3) ASU Goals: Mota (2), McDaniel (2), Ritchie (2), Bower, Bentley