BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The No. 4 Arizona State University water polo team rallied from a two-goal deficit late in the fourth quarter against No. 6 Cal, but a late Golden Bear goal would prove to be the difference in a 4-3 loss in the opener of the 2016 MPSF Championships in Bakersfield, Calif.
It was the eighth time in the last 10 games between the two teams that a single goal was the final difference in the contest.
Cal’s Pippa Saunders scored her second goal of the fourth quarter with 2:25 remaining in regulation after the Devils (18-7) had evened things at 3-3 on Daisy Carter’s power play goal just 30 seconds earlier.
ASU had one last gasp with under a minute remaining but Maud Koopman’s shot with the shot clock winding down careened off the post and Cal was able to run out the clock.
The Sun Devils allowed two power play goals and that would prove to be the difference in a low-scoring game.
Goalkeeper Mia Rycraw was exceptional throughout, stopping 14 shots in the effort while the Sun Devil defense combined for six steals – including two from Koopman.
A defensive struggle from the start, the two teams entered the halftime break tied at one goal each. Katie Sverchek got ASU on the board late in the first quarter with her shot from distance but the Bears evened it up on Genevieve Weed’s goal in the second quarter.
Cal went on top on Carla Carrega’s power play goal with 1:15 remaining in the third and made it a two-goal lead before Saunders’ first goal with 5:45 remaining.
The Sun Devils cut it back to a single goal after a Cal player left the penalty area early and Maud Koopman sunk her penalty shot with 4:42 left. Carter’s power play goal two minutes later evened things up but would be the extent of the Sun Devil scoring.
Arizona State will now set its sights on the fifth-place game of the tournament, scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. PT.