March 29, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - Behind the scoring of eight different players and two, five-goal runs during the game, the No. 7 Arizona State University water polo team downed visiting Pacific, 17-9, Saturday in the ASU Invitational being played at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe. The win, which also counts toward both teams' conference standings, improved the Sun Devils 14-9 overall and 4-4 in the MPSF while the Tigers fell to 4-18 overall and 0-10 in the league.
The game started with the Sun Devils winning the sprint, but unable to score before the Tigers took a 1-0 lead. Despite the deficit, the Sun Devils went back down the pool and scored five goals in a row as Lauren Hayes, Candice Phillippe, Kelly Phelps (on the advantage), Traci Aparicio and Bonnie Miles all scored to put the home team on top, 5-1, through the first quarter of play.
The Tigers opened the second with a goal of their own before ASU scored three straight as Aparicio and Phillippe added their second scores of the game before Kari Walsh notched a goal with 4:46 remaining. After a Pacific goal ended the run, the Sun Devils scored as Amanda Stepp found the back of the net for the first of three times on the day. The two teams traded goals again with Addison McGrath scoring on a 5-meter penalty shot to bring the score to 10-5 at the intermission.
The Sun Devils were the aggressors in the third stanza as they came out and scored five goals in a row, including goals from Phelps (5-meter penalty shot), Katy Lawlor, McGrath (twice) and Stepp. Pacific scored with 1:38 remaining, but Stepp added her third of the game for a 16-6 advantge after the third. In the final stanza, Pacific scored three in a row to make the score 16-9 before McGrath added her fourth on the advantage.
Defensively, Caylinn Wallace notched nine saves in the game to keep the Sun Devils on top and extend the team's current winning streak to three in a row. Wallace was replaced with 6:24 remaining in the game by Kaitlyn Morris, who recorded one save in her limited playing time.
The Sun Devils will take on CS San Bernardino at 2:50 p.m. Saturday before playing twice more on Sunday to wrap up the ASU Invitational.
Pacific at #7 Arizona State
Tempe, Ariz. ASU Invitational
PAC - 1 - 4 - 1 - 3 = 9
ASU - 5 - 5 - 6 - 1 = 17
ASU Goals - McGrath 4, Stepp 3, Aparicio 2, Phelps 2, Phillippe 2, Hayes, Lawlor, Miles, Walsh
ASU Saves - Wallace 9, Morris 1