March 3, 2012
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 6 Arizona State water polo team defeated the No. 5 San Diego State Aztecs, 12-3, in the team's conference and home opener on Saturday afternoon in Tempe, Ariz.
Shannon Haas shattered her previous single-game goals record with seven in the match, matching a school record in goals scored in a single game. The junior from Murrieta, California netted seven of ASU's twelve goals in the dominant victory, matched only by Addison McGrath in the 2008 season and Lynlee Smith in 2009. Haas' previous career record was five goals.
Goalkeeper Ianeta Hutchinson broke a career high of her own, with 15 saves in the match, besting her previous high of 14. Hutchinson is now tied for ninth in the Sun Devil record books for most goalie saves in a single game. Hutchinson allowed the first two shots against her before blanking the Aztecs (11-4, 0-2 MPSF) for the next two-and-a-half quarters, logging 15 consecutive saves before SDSU's Meaghan Poland
Other players recording points were Annabelle Carter with a hat trick, and Mariam Salloum and Petra Pardi with one apiece.
Haas put Arizona State up 2-0 in the first quarter, with her second goal at the 5:19 mark giving her 100th career goal. SDSU would climb back in the second, making it 3-2 on a Leanne Ford goal at the 6:36 mark.
Haas got ASU rolling again with her first hat trick of the game at the 2:42 mark and ASU would had two more over the next two minutes to enter halftime leading 6-2.
Hutchinson was a force for ASU in the third, logging six saves in the frame to shut out the Aztecs while ASU padded its lead with Haas's fourth goal
The offensive floodgates opened in the fourth as the Sun Devils found the back of the net five times, three of which coming from Haas as ASU closed out the game with the impressive victory.
With the victory, the Sun Devils (15-2, 1-0 MPSF) earned their first conference win since beating the Aztecs on April 19, 2008. The Sun Devils also upset a top-5 team for just the ninth time in school history and the first time since 2010.
The last four games between the Aztecs and the Devils had been decided by a combined total of six goals - with the Aztecs taking a one-goal decision at last weekend's UCI Invitational. Arizona State shattered that gap on Saturday winning by nine points.
Up next, the Devils take on California on March 10, with the first sprint scheduled for 1 p.m. MST at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.
#6 Arizona State def. #5 San Diego State, 12-3
SDSU: 1-1-0-1 = 3
ASU: 3-3-1-5 = 12
GOALS
SDSU: Moreno - 1, Ford - 1, Poland - 1
ASU: Hass - 7, Carter - 3, Salloum - 1, Pardi - 1
SAVES
Keeve (SDSU) - 9
Hutchinson (ASU) - 15