April 17, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - For the second day in a row, the No. 16 Arizona State University water polo team opened play at the Long Beach Invitational with a loss to a nationally ranked foe, this times dropping a 9-3 decision to No. 18 Hartwick. The Sun Devils (8-16, 3-7 MPSF), after spotting the Hawks a four-goal lead, made a comeback, but fell short as another run at the end of the game sealed the deal for HC.
The Hawks scored three in the first and added another score less than one minute into the second stanza before Raelyn Ritchie (So., Newport Beach, Calif.) and Katie Hedley (So., Lake Forest, Calif.) tallied twice to cut the deficit to 4-2. But HC would add another pair of scores before intermission for a 6-2 lead.
After Ritchie recorded her second score of the game in the third period while the defense held the Hawks in check, the tables were turned once again in the final quarter as HC added three unanswered goals for the final, 9-3, margin. On the defensive end, Caylinn Wallace (Fr., Laguna Hills, Calif.) recorded 10 saves in the game for ASU, but it was not enough as six Hawks scored at least one goal, including a hat trick by Bronwen Knox.
Next weekend, the Sun Devils will play their three final regular season games as they travel to face No. 17 Cal State Northridge, No. 19 UC San Diego and No. 13 San Diego State. The games with CSUN and SDSU are MPSF contests and will count toward the conference standings.
Game #24 [Neutral #12] Record: 8-16 Overall (3-7 MPSF) at Long Beach Invitational DATE OPPONENT 1 2 3 4 F ---- -------------------- -- -- -- -- -- 4-17 #16 Arizona State 0 2 1 0 3 #18 Hartwick 3 3 0 3 9
ASU Saves: Wallace (10) ASU Goals: Ritchie (2), Hedley