April 29, 2006
IRVINE, Calif. - The fans at the Anteater Aquatic Center were treated to an outstanding battle in the consolation semifinals of the MPSF Water Polo Championships Saturday in Irvine, Calif., as the No. 9 Arizona State University water polo team outlasted No. 7 UC Irvine in four overtime periods to take a 13-12 victory and advance to the fifth place contest on Sunday. Rowie Webster, who became the single-season goal scoring record holder one game before, netted five goals to tie a single game record to pace the Sun Devils to the win and a 15-12 overall record.
The Sun Devils opened the game on the offensive and some deft passing allowed Lindsay Williams to work herself free to collect a pass from the center set and score on an empty net for the early 1-0 lead. But the host Anteaters responded with three goals in a row with all three coming either on the power play or right as the advantage expired. ASU responded with one more goal of their own as Webster scored on after driving through the center, collecting the pass and firing a shot home. UCI added one more score with 1:25 remaining to bring the game to a 4-2 UCI advantage at the end of the first quarter.
In the second period of play, the Anteaters quickly retook their three goal lead with a score at 5:23, but the Sun Devils responded as Webster was awarded a 4-meter penalty shot that she connected on. After UCI added another goal, Tessa Wyborny walked the ball in from the outside and, from 3-meters out, sent a shot into the back of the net at the top right corner to cut the deficit to two. Ashley Bower was then awarded a 4-meter penalty that Webster scored on to bring ASU to within one (6-5). But, with 44 seconds remaining, the Anteaters scored once more to send the game to the half with UCI leading, 7-5.
The third saw the Sun Devils claw back into the game led by the scoring of Webster. After UCI added another goal, Webster drove in and tipped in a pass from Bower. Then, Addison Doud tipped in a cross-cage pass from Bower to cut the deficit to one. UCI scored to make it 9-7 before ASU would score the next two. First Kimberlee Stevens scored a power play goal, firing a shot into the cage after receiving a pass from Webster. Then, Webster tied a program single-game record for goal scoring as she connected on her fifth by repaying Stevens as she tipped in a pass from Stevens for the goal. UCI retook the lead with 31 seconds remaining after scoring on a 4-meter penalty.
The fourth quarter opened much differently than any of the others as both teams' defenses clamped down with ASU recording two steals and forcing UCI into two more throw-aways. With 3:40 remaining in regulation, ASU went on the power play and could not convert. As UCI countered, Caylinn Wallace stole the ball and went down pool to a streaking Bower, who carried the ball in close, faked the goalie and scored to tie the game at 10. Neither team could score after that point, sending the game into two, three minute overtime periods.
In the first extra session, Wyborny won the opening sprint and the Sun Devils went on the attack. After moving the ball around the outside, Bower ended up with the ball at the top of the zone and fired a shot from 7-meters that found the back of the cage for the team's first lead of the game since 5:00 remained in the first quarter. In the second overtime, UCI tied the score on the power play before Katy Lawlor sent a screaming shot into the cage with 54 seconds remaining to give ASU the 12-11 lead. But UCI would score with 28 seconds left to send the game into sudden victory. ASU had a chance to win at the end of the second overtime, but Stevens' shot skipped off the right post.
In the first sudden victory session, the Sun Devils won the sprint and then nearly won the game as Webster fired a shot to the right side that caught the post and kicked out. UCI had a chance as it went on the power play, but Wallace made a huge save to keep the Sun Devils in the contest. In the second sudden victory period, ASU again won the sprint, but could not get a shot off. After each team stole the ball two times in a row, Wallace came out of the cage to make a risky steal before collecting the ball and sending it down the pool. Doud collected the pass and drove to the center where the defense picked her up. There, she sent a soft pass to a cutting Wyborny who walked in, faked the goalie and lobbed the ball over the keeper's hands for the game winning goal.
The Sun Devils close out play Sunday as they face No. 5 California (fifth seed) in the fifth-place contest at 12:15 p.m.. From there, the Sun Devils will await word from the NCAA if they have been selected as one of the at-large teams invited to the NCAA Championships.
#9 Arizona State (#7 seed) defeats #7 UC Irvine (#6 seed), 13-12 (sv2)
ASU Goals: Rowie Webster 5, Ashley Bower 2, Tessa Wyborny 2, Addison Doud, Katy Lawlor, Kimberlee Stevens, Lindsay Williams
ASU Saves: Caylinn Wallace 12