TEMPE ? Katie Sverchek scored the game-winning goal on the power play with 11 seconds left and the Arizona State University water polo team defeated the Shanghai Water Polo Club, 7-6, in the first of a five-game exhibition series against the Chinese club team on Friday evening at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.
Sverchek’s second goal of the day capped a flurry of offensive action in what was otherwise a defensive struggle between the two teams.
The Devils held a 5-4 lead entering the final two minutes of action before the two squads erupted for four goals in a frantic finish, capped by ASU’s lone powerplay goal of the game as Sverchek’s netter brought an end to what had been an 0-for-7 day with ASU holding the man advantage.
Freshman Maud Koopman filled the stat sheet to the tune of two goals, two assists and three steals in the effort as she was active on both ends of the pool. Two of those steals helped lead to a pair of transition goals while her final steal of the day ended Shanghai’s last push in the final five seconds of the game.
Koopman’s second goal gave the Sun Devils broke an eight-minute 4-4 tie at the 5:05 mark of the fourth quarter but Shanghai’s Wang Shimiao evened the game with 2:11 left.
Lena Mihailovic answered on the very next ASU possession with an assist from Ao Gao. The Devil defense held for two straight possessions but Cai Yini netted the equalizer on a shot off the crossbar with 44 seconds left.
Sverchek’s heroics came from about three meters out as Koopman’s perfect pass found the senior rising for the quick one timer to seal the victory.
The ASU defense, on the flip side, held the Shanghai team to 0-for-6 on the powerplay and a big part of that was goalkeeper Mia Rycraw. The redshirt sophomore ? who will be looked upon to replace three-time All-American E.B. Keeve this season ? stopped nine shots on the day, maybe none important as her penalty shot save on Shanghai’s Wang Huan with three minutes remaining and the Sun Devils clinging to a one goal lead.
The Shanghai effort was equally impressive with goalkeeper Peng Fei stopping 11 shots and adding three of her team’s nine total steals.
The Sun Devils will return to the pool tomorrow for a double header against the Shanghai squad ? a team featuring at least five former members of the Chinese National Team - with the first game getting underway at 11 a.m. MT followed by a second game at 3 p.m.?