SAN DIEGO – Two days removed from its worst loss of the season, the No. 4 Arizona State University water polo team responded in the way you’d expect from a top-five team in a dominating 9-3 victory on the road over No. 14 San Diego State to conclude the 2016 regular season.
Maud Koopman scored three goals and the Sun Devils (18-6, 3-3 MPSF) returned to the stifling defensive pressure that has guided them through the season, holding the Aztec to just one goal in the final three quarters of regulation.
With the victory, the Sun Devils reached 18 wins for just the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2013. It also marked career win No. 298 for head coach Todd Clapper as he approaches the 300-win milestone.
Daisy Carter, Lena Mihailovic and Katie Sverchek all added two goals in the effort as the Sun Devils appeared to have no hangover following their 16-6 loss to No. 2 UCLA on Friday.
Koopman scored two of her goals in the first quarter, the second of which breaking a 2-2 tie and kick-starting a 7-1 run to close out the contest. She added her third goal in the third quarter, a penalty shot strike to make it an 8-3 game.
Carter scored back-to-back goals in the second quarter within two minutes of each other, making it a 6-2 game heading into the halftime break and the Sun Devil defense stuffed the SDSU attack and held the Golden Coast Conference champions to it’s lowest scoring output of the season.
Koopman added two assists in the effort to lead the team while Mihailovic logged a team-leading two steals. The Sun Devil offense took advantage of its man advantages as well, scoring on 4-of-7 power play opportunities.
After a forgettable day in the cage against the Bruins, goalkeeper Mia Rycraw bounced back in a huge way as she matched her career-high with 18 saves in the effort and allowed just one single goal when the two teams were at even strength.
The Sun Devils wrapped up the No. 4 seed in the MPSF Conference Tournament, which will begin Friday, April 29 in Bakersfield, Calif.