April 30, 2006
IRVINE, Calif. - The No. 9 Arizona State University water polo team's season came to a close Sunday at the MPSF Championships inside the Anteater Aquatic Complex Sunday as the Sun Devils, the seventh seed in the tournament, dropped a 7-6 decision to fourth seeded and fifth-ranked California in the fifth-place game. The Sun Devils (15-13), who got four goals from Rowie Webster and a solid performance from Caylinn Wallace in the cage, finish as the sixth-place team in the 13-team tournament.
The game opened at a much slower pace than the previous three the Sun Devils played over the weekend as both teams had quick turnovers in the opening minute. Cal scored just 41 seconds into the game with a power play goal before adding its second goal with 1:29 remaining for the 2-0 lead after one quarter of play. Wallace made three saves in the quarter, including two at point-blank range, while also recording two steals on center sets.
The second opened with the Golden Bears drawing an exclusion and converting on their second power play goal for the 3-0 lead before the Sun Devils struck back with their own advantage goal as Webster was left alone on the wing, walked the ball in and scored on a cross-cage shot. After Cal added another power play goal, Addison Doud drew a 4-meter that Webster scored on to bring ASU back to two goals down.
Cal added another goal with 1:40 remaining in the half, but ASU answered right back at 1:07 with Tessa Wyborny scoring on the power play as she went cross cage for the goal. Then, with three seconds remaining, Webster fired a shot from eight meters out and found the bottom left corner of the cage to bring the score to 5-4 Cal at the intermission.
Much like the start of the game, the scoring was limited at the start of the second half with only one goal scored. Webster continued her stellar scoring pace as she added her fourth of the game as she connected on her second four-meter penalty shot on the day to tie the score at five. Katy Lawlor drew the penalty as she drove the center and was fouled on her way to the cage.
The final quarter of play opened with the Golden Bears reclaiming the lead with a power play goal at 5:24. With 4:53 remaining, Lindsay Williams scored on a skip shot from the outside to again tie the game before Cal struck back at 4:07 to take a 7-6 lead. ASU had several more attempts the rest of the way, but could not find the back of the cage.
Defensively, Wallace recorded 12 saves in the contest while Webster once again led all scorers with four goals. Webster concluded the weekend with 15 goals scored in four games. With the third place and championship games remaining on the day, Webster is the tournament leader with the second-most being 10.
The Sun Devils conclude their season 15-13 overall and sixth in the MPSF Tournament after entering the event as the seventh seed. Both their seeding and placement are school bests with their finish bettering the pair of 10th-place finishes attained each of the last two seasons.
#5 California (#4 seed) vs. #9 Arizona State (#7 seed), 7-6
ASU Goals: Rowie Webster 4, Lindsay Williams, Tessa Wyborny
ASU Saves: Caylinn Wallace 12