April 2, 2005
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 18 Arizona State University water polo team could not crack the stingy defense of No. 1 UCLA while the Bruin offense hit on all cylinders as the undefeated visitors handed the Sun Devils a 12-0 defeat in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) action Saturday at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe. The team's fourth loss in a row not only dropped ASU's record to 5-12 overall and 1-5 in league play, it also marked the first time in program history that the team had been shut out. UCLA improved to 22-0 on the year and 7-0 in the MPSF.
Both teams opened the contest with several strong offensive attempts, but the goalie play of Caylinn Wallace (Fr., Laguna Hills, Calif.) for ASU and Emily Feher for UCLA prevented any scoring until the 2:03 mark in the first quarter when Courtney Mathewson netted a goal with ASU down one player. Nearly one minute later, Katherine Belden added a goal to UCLA's total for a 2-0 lead at the end of one.
From there, the Bruins would add four goals each in the second and third quarters and closed the game with two more tallies in the final stanza for the 12-0 victory. UCLA was led in scoring by Jillian Kraus with a hat trick and two each from Belden and Kelly Rulon. Also posting goals for the visitors were Natalie Golda, Molly Cahill, Monique Blanchard and Kristina Kunkel.
Overall, Wallace ended the game with nine saves in the cage for the Sun Devils in three quarters of play before Jennifer Sanderson (Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) took over goal tending duties in the fourth and recorded two saves of her own. Feher tallied five stops for the Bruins to snap ASU's consecutive game scoring streak at 112 games.
The Sun Devils will look to halt their four-game losing streak Sunday afternoon at home as they play host to MPSF foe No. 8 UC Santa Barbara in a noon contest.