San Diego, Calif. -- The fifth ranked ASU Water Polo team split the final day of the 2017 Triton Invitation, claiming a hard fought win over No. 8 UC Irvine to start the day, before eventually falling to No. 2 USC in the championship game of the event.
Three different Sun Devils recorded multi-goal games on Sunday, including Alkistis Benekou, Maud Koopman and Lena Mihailovic who all finished the weekend with eight goals.
Game One: (ASU 9, UCI 8)
The Sun Devils jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter, as Alkistis Benekou and Maud Koopman both netted goals in the first five minutes of the game, but a late goal by UC Irvine's Allie Loomis sent the game to the second quarter with ASU clinging to just a one-goal lead.
ASU separated themselves from the Anteaters in the second quarter, combining for four goals to push their lead to 6-3 heading into the half.
Following back-to-back ASU goals in the first two minutes of the third quarter, UCI ended the frame with a pair of goals themselves to send the game to the final quarter with ASU up 8-5.
The Sun Devils, again, opened the scoring in the fourth as Benekou netted her eighth goal of the tournament to give ASU a 9-5 lead with just over seven minutes to play. The Anteaters would not go quietly, however, as UCI rattled off three straight goals in the weighing minutes of the game.
The Sun Devil defense would ultimately bend, but not break, as Mia Rycraw would anchor ASU with 16 saves to preserve the 9-8 Arizona State victory. The 16 saves by Rycraw, set a new season high for the junior, who recorded 15 saves in the opening day of the tournament.
Game Two: (ASU 2, USC 12)
In the second game of the evening, ASU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Trojans responded in the final two minutes of the frame, sending the game to the second quarter tied at one.
USC responded with back-to-back goals in the second, before adding another at the start of the second half to push their lead to 4-1. The Sun Devils answered back with a goal from Mihailovic at the 4:49 mark in the third, but it wouldn't be enough as the Trojans would close out the game with eight goals to secure the 12-2 victory.
Three different Sun Devils recorded multi-goal games on Sunday, including Alkistis Benekou, Maud Koopman and Lena Mihailovic who all finished the weekend with eight goals.
Game One: (ASU 9, UCI 8)
The Sun Devils jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter, as Alkistis Benekou and Maud Koopman both netted goals in the first five minutes of the game, but a late goal by UC Irvine's Allie Loomis sent the game to the second quarter with ASU clinging to just a one-goal lead.
ASU separated themselves from the Anteaters in the second quarter, combining for four goals to push their lead to 6-3 heading into the half.
Following back-to-back ASU goals in the first two minutes of the third quarter, UCI ended the frame with a pair of goals themselves to send the game to the final quarter with ASU up 8-5.
The Sun Devils, again, opened the scoring in the fourth as Benekou netted her eighth goal of the tournament to give ASU a 9-5 lead with just over seven minutes to play. The Anteaters would not go quietly, however, as UCI rattled off three straight goals in the weighing minutes of the game.
The Sun Devil defense would ultimately bend, but not break, as Mia Rycraw would anchor ASU with 16 saves to preserve the 9-8 Arizona State victory. The 16 saves by Rycraw, set a new season high for the junior, who recorded 15 saves in the opening day of the tournament.
Game Two: (ASU 2, USC 12)
In the second game of the evening, ASU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first quarter, but the Trojans responded in the final two minutes of the frame, sending the game to the second quarter tied at one.
USC responded with back-to-back goals in the second, before adding another at the start of the second half to push their lead to 4-1. The Sun Devils answered back with a goal from Mihailovic at the 4:49 mark in the third, but it wouldn't be enough as the Trojans would close out the game with eight goals to secure the 12-2 victory.
Arizona State will be back in action on Feb. 24th when they travel to Irvine, Calif., to compete in the 2017 UCI Tournament. Fans can follow all of the action from the 2017 season by following @ASUWaterPolo on Twitter.