SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The No. 6 Arizona State University water polo team defeated No. 7 UC Irvine, 8-7, to capture third place at the UCSD Triton Invitational Sunday evening at Triton Pool.
Arizona State (9-2) moved to 3-1 at the Triton Invitational with the victory, including a pair of wins over Top-10 team. The Sun Devils notched their eighth victory over a CWPA Top-25 team this season. Six Sun Devils appeared in the scoring column including multi-goal games from Alkistis Benekou and Bente Rogge.
In a reversal of fortune from the match earlier in the day against UCLA, it would be the Sun Devils beating the clock and scoring the game winning goal with under ten seconds left. This time, Alkistis Benekou came through with the game winning goal on the final possession, beating the goalie with just two seconds left for her second goal of the game.
A back-and-forth first period with three separate ties set the tone for what would be a match of lead changes and momentum swings. Bente Rogge two first period goals allowed the Sun Devils to gain some confidence offensively.
The Sun Devils would have to make up a two-goal deficit twice, the final time coming back from a 4-6 hole to defeat the Anteaters. A pair of seniors, Kayla Casas and Alkistis Benekou, lead the charge with a pair of third period goals that evened up the score.
Maud Koopman would give the Sun Devils a brief lead, 7-6, with her goal to open up the final period. It would be up to the senior, Alkistis Benekou, to come through when the team needed her the most. The veteran notched a goal with just two seconds left to help Arizona State capture third place. Mia Rycraw was once again solid in net, finishing the match with nine saves and three steals.
UC Irvine (3-4) would strike first in the contest with a goal early in the first period. It would not take long for the Sun Devils offense to mount a response, as Bente Rogge sent one past the goalie to tie the game at one with 6:55 remaining in the first.
UC Irvine would re-take the lead with a score to go up 2-1. Bente Rogge was not done yet in the period, as she once again would tie up the game, this score with 5:15 remaining in the first. The momentum swings continued throughout the period, as P.J. Allin registered a goal to give the Sun Devils their first lead of the game at 3-2. The Anteaters would find the back of the net with 2:18 left in the first to tie the game for the third time through just the one period. The score would remain tied at three through the end of the first period.
UC Irvine came out strong at the start of the second period, scoring back-to-back goals early in the quarter to take a 5-3 lead. Julia Reyes would come through when the Sun Devils needed a goal, beating the UC Irvine goaltender to cut their lead to one with 1:35 remaining in the half. The score would remain that way with the Sun Devils trailing by one at the break.
Similar to the first half, UC Irvine would break into the scoring column first in the half. With the Sun Devils trailing 6-4, Alkistis Benekou got the Sun Devils going in the half with her first goal of the day to trim the lead to one. Shortly after, fellow veteran leader Kayla Casas made sure things were back to even on the scoreboard, scoring a goal to tie the game at six with 2:58 remaining in the third. The score would remain knotted at six for the rest of the period, with the contest to be decided in the final eight minutes.
Maud Koopman provided the Sun Devils their second lead of the evening, with a goal a minute into the final period. The lead would be short lived, however, as UC Irvine responded with a goal of their own to even the score back up at seven.
The scoring would subside through the middle of the period, with both defenses and goaltenders settling in. Seven consecutive scoreless minutes from both sides were snapped by the game deciding goal. Alkistis Benekou found the back of the net with the game-winner with only two seconds remaining in the contest.
Up next, the Sun Devils get the week off while they prepare for their final road tournament of the season at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational hosted by UC Irvine at the Anteater Aquatics Complex. The tournament will take place February 23rd-25th with matchups once again to be scheduled based on rankings. Follow our social media accounts at @SunDevilWP and check out our website during the week for updates and more information.
Goals: Benekou (2), Rogge (2), Koopman, Casas, Reyes, Allin
Assists: Casas, Rogge
Steals: Rycraw (3), Koopman (2), Beaudet, Reyes, Casas, Allin
Saves: Rycraw (9)
Arizona State (9-2) moved to 3-1 at the Triton Invitational with the victory, including a pair of wins over Top-10 team. The Sun Devils notched their eighth victory over a CWPA Top-25 team this season. Six Sun Devils appeared in the scoring column including multi-goal games from Alkistis Benekou and Bente Rogge.
In a reversal of fortune from the match earlier in the day against UCLA, it would be the Sun Devils beating the clock and scoring the game winning goal with under ten seconds left. This time, Alkistis Benekou came through with the game winning goal on the final possession, beating the goalie with just two seconds left for her second goal of the game.
A back-and-forth first period with three separate ties set the tone for what would be a match of lead changes and momentum swings. Bente Rogge two first period goals allowed the Sun Devils to gain some confidence offensively.
The Sun Devils would have to make up a two-goal deficit twice, the final time coming back from a 4-6 hole to defeat the Anteaters. A pair of seniors, Kayla Casas and Alkistis Benekou, lead the charge with a pair of third period goals that evened up the score.
Maud Koopman would give the Sun Devils a brief lead, 7-6, with her goal to open up the final period. It would be up to the senior, Alkistis Benekou, to come through when the team needed her the most. The veteran notched a goal with just two seconds left to help Arizona State capture third place. Mia Rycraw was once again solid in net, finishing the match with nine saves and three steals.
UC Irvine (3-4) would strike first in the contest with a goal early in the first period. It would not take long for the Sun Devils offense to mount a response, as Bente Rogge sent one past the goalie to tie the game at one with 6:55 remaining in the first.
UC Irvine would re-take the lead with a score to go up 2-1. Bente Rogge was not done yet in the period, as she once again would tie up the game, this score with 5:15 remaining in the first. The momentum swings continued throughout the period, as P.J. Allin registered a goal to give the Sun Devils their first lead of the game at 3-2. The Anteaters would find the back of the net with 2:18 left in the first to tie the game for the third time through just the one period. The score would remain tied at three through the end of the first period.
UC Irvine came out strong at the start of the second period, scoring back-to-back goals early in the quarter to take a 5-3 lead. Julia Reyes would come through when the Sun Devils needed a goal, beating the UC Irvine goaltender to cut their lead to one with 1:35 remaining in the half. The score would remain that way with the Sun Devils trailing by one at the break.
Similar to the first half, UC Irvine would break into the scoring column first in the half. With the Sun Devils trailing 6-4, Alkistis Benekou got the Sun Devils going in the half with her first goal of the day to trim the lead to one. Shortly after, fellow veteran leader Kayla Casas made sure things were back to even on the scoreboard, scoring a goal to tie the game at six with 2:58 remaining in the third. The score would remain knotted at six for the rest of the period, with the contest to be decided in the final eight minutes.
Maud Koopman provided the Sun Devils their second lead of the evening, with a goal a minute into the final period. The lead would be short lived, however, as UC Irvine responded with a goal of their own to even the score back up at seven.
The scoring would subside through the middle of the period, with both defenses and goaltenders settling in. Seven consecutive scoreless minutes from both sides were snapped by the game deciding goal. Alkistis Benekou found the back of the net with the game-winner with only two seconds remaining in the contest.
Up next, the Sun Devils get the week off while they prepare for their final road tournament of the season at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational hosted by UC Irvine at the Anteater Aquatics Complex. The tournament will take place February 23rd-25th with matchups once again to be scheduled based on rankings. Follow our social media accounts at @SunDevilWP and check out our website during the week for updates and more information.
Goals: Benekou (2), Rogge (2), Koopman, Casas, Reyes, Allin
Assists: Casas, Rogge
Steals: Rycraw (3), Koopman (2), Beaudet, Reyes, Casas, Allin
Saves: Rycraw (9)