Feb. 10, 2008
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Addison McGrath scored four goals and Caylinn Wallace stopped 10 shots as the No. 10 Arizona State University water polo team upset No. 2 USC, 8-5, Sunday morning in the final game of bracket play at the 2008 Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. The Sun Devils, who recorded the biggest upset in program history, improved to 7-3 overall while the Women of Troy fell to 4-1 on the year.
"We played very well today and we played as a team to record such a big win for our program," Head Coach Todd Clapper said. "We played great offense and great defense and had several players step up. USC put some pressure on us and we were able to play well and get the win. I am very proud of their effort today and I look for us to continue to build on this win."
The Sun Devils entered the game with an all-time record of 0-6 against the Women of Troy and also were 0-6 all-time against a team ranked No. 2 in the national standings. ASU did close to upsetting a No. 2-ranked team in 2005 as the Sun Devils dropped a 9-8 decision at USC in MPSF play. The victory today surpasses the previous highest-ranked team ASU has upset when the Sun Devils defeated No. 4 Hawaii, 8-5, at the 2006 Stanford Invitational. The then-No. 16 Sun Devils got four goals from Rowie Webster while Wallace notched 13 saves in the win.
Similar to the upset of Hawaii two years ago, the Sun Devils had one player score four goals, this time with McGrath netting the large amount of scoring. The four goals marked the fourth time this year McGrath has scored four in a game and gave her 19th career three goals or more performance. She was joined on the score sheet by Katy Lawlor, Kelly Phelps, Amanda Stepp and Kristen Wagner. McGrath also added an assist to her point total, as did Phelps and Stepp. Candice Phillipe rounded out the scoring with an assist of her own.
ASU jumped out to a 3-0 lead through the first quarter of play before both teams scored once in the second quarter for a 4-1 ASU lead at the break. The Sun Devils won the third quarter, 3-2, to push the advantage to 7-3, before adding one more goal to USC's two in the final stanza of play for the 8-5 final.
The Sun Devils will face No. 13 Michigan at 12:45 p.m. with the winner finishing seventh in the tournament.
#10 Arizona State vs. #2 USC
at Stanford Invitational February 10
ASU - 3 - 1 - 3 - 1 = 8
USC - 0 - 1 - 2 - 2 = 5
ASU Goals - McGrath 4, Lawlor, Phelps, Stepp, Wagner
USC Goals - Lucas 2, Bartunkova, Dronberger, Stein
ASU Saves - Wallace 10
USC Saves - Morgan 1