March 10, 2012
TEMPE -- The No. 5 Arizona State University water polo team upset fourth-ranked California Saturday at home, 10-7, in a win that could be considered among the biggest in school history.
Senior Alicia Brightwell netted three goals and Ianeta Hutchinson had 13 saves and the Sun Devils jumped out 3-0 early and held off several Cal rallies for the team's first victory against the Golden Bears since 2009.
For the Sun Devils, it was the first time since 2008 that the Sun Devils had defeated a team ranked fourth or better since defeating then-No. 4 Cal on March 15, 2008.
Brightwell started off the match netting a penalty shot at the 5:35 mark. Kelsey White followed up with a shot from outside at the 3:41 mark to put the Sun Devils up 2 - 0. Annabelle Carter netted another for the Maroon and Gold less than a minute later to put the Sun Devils up 3-0.
Cal's Lauren Bridges got the Golden Bears on the board a shot from just in front of the goal within the last two minutes of the quarter. ASU's Anna Kertes responded with two seconds left in the quarter to send the Sun Devils into the second quarter with a 4 -1 lead.
Brightwell began the second period the same way she did in the first, netting a goal for the Sun Devils within the first 30 seconds of the period. Tiera Schroeder of California countered less than a minute later to bring the Sun Devils lead back to three and the score to 5 - 2.
Remington Price lessened the Sun Devils lead to 2 after netting a goal at the 4: 46 mark with a rocket from the left side. Cal Bear Ashley Young added on to Price's goal less than a minute later to bring the score to 5-4 with 4:14 to go in the period.
Kelsey White netted one for the Sun Devils with just less than to minutes left to send Arizona State into the half leading 6-4.
Arizona State's Gao Ao scored a goal to start the Sun Devils off on the right foot at the 6:40 mark to increase the Sun Devil lead to 7-4 in her first action since early February.
Sun Devil goalkeeper Ianeta Hutchinson blocked a Bear attack on the next possession to secure the three-goal lead. After a rough and physical possession, Sun Devil Mariam Salloum endured to net a lob just over Cal keeper Lindsay Dorst with 4:08 to go in the half to put ASU up 8-4 heading into the final frame.
Breda Voster netted the first goal of the final period at 5:37 to pick up momentum for Cal. Hutchinson came up with a big save a minute later after Cal sent one hard from the left side leading to a Brightwell goal on the other end to complete the hat trick and give her her 12th game of the season with three or more goals. Twenty seconds later, Voster answered Brightwell setting the score to 9-6.
With less than one minute to go Voster again scored, completing a hat trick in the third quarter alone and to bring Cal back within two. Salloum answered with an empty net goal 27 seconds to seal the deal and give the Sun Devils the 10-7 win.