SARATOGA, Calif. – The No. 6 Sun Devil Water Polo team picked up their first MPSF win of the season, defeating No. 21 San Jose State, 10-6, Friday evening at the West Valley Aquatics Center located on the campus of West Valley College.
Arizona State (15-7) earns their 13th victory over a CWPA Top 25 team during the 2018 campaign. The Sun Devils have now won five consecutive matches over the Spartans dating back to 2014. ASU has defeated a pair of Top 25 teams on the road this season. The attention will turn quickly to the looming showdown with No. 1 Stanford, coming up on Sunday at 2:00 P.M. broadcasted live on Pac 12 Network.
Maud Koopman and Alkistis Benekou teamed up to lead a potent offensive attack for the Sun Devils. The duo finished with seven of Arizona State's ten goals, with Koopman recording her second four-goal performance and Benekou registering her fifth hat trick of the season. Koopman's all-around game was on full display throughout the match, as the versatile attacker contributed a team high two assists and four steals. Kayla Casas added two goals of her own and Mia Rycraw made stops when she needed to, finishing the night with nine saves.
Showing maturity and composure, Arizona State would respond to an early first period goal by the Spartans with a tally of their own. Maud Koopman would even the match up at the 7:08 mark in the first period, with each side trying to establish a defensive identity. After Koopman broke the seal, the goals would start to pour in with the Sun Devil offense finding its footing. Alkistis Benekou put the Sun Devils ahead with a goal, followed by Maud Koopman's second goal of the first period. Now leading 3-1, Kayla Casas beat the Spartan's goaltender to extend the ASU lead to 4-1 with 2:43 left in the period. Mia Rycraw finished the opening eight minutes with three saves, keeping the lead at 4-1 through one.
Maud Koopman continued to be the story in the early going offensively, as the junior was in the zone. Her third goal of the match came just 17 seconds into the second period, giving her a team high seven 3+ goal performances this season. Lena Mihailovic became the Sun Devils fourth different goal scorer with 4:50 still remaining in the first half, as she extended the Sun Devil lead to 6-1. With ASU in need of a response to a late Spartan push before the half, Alkistis Benekou provided one, scoring her second goal of the match. The Sun Devils would take a 7-2 lead into the break, with Mia Rycraw recorded five saves.
A quiet third period saw the Spartans score first, but the Sun Devils would regain momentum playing fantastic team defense. Kayla Casas answered the Spartans goal with her second goal of the match, extending the Sun Devils lead to 8-3. A last-minute offensive flurry would ensue, with each side scoring a goal in the last 30 seconds of the period. Maud Koopman would beat the buzzer with her fourth goal of the match, as it came with just five seconds remaining to put the Sun Devils up 9-4 at the end of three.
Alkistis Benekou became one of two Sun Devils to record a hat trick in the contest, opening the final period with her third goal of the match. The redshirt senior now is tied for the team lead with 12 multi-goal performances this season. Mia Rycraw made a few crucial saves to stifle any potential Spartan comeback, as she finished with nine saves and continued to provide a steadying presnce in net. The final period of play would be controlled by a stingy Sun Devil defense, who prevented the Spartans from getting within striking distance.
Up next, the Sun Devils have a quick turnaround, as they will travel down the road to Stanford to take on the No. 1-ranked Cardinal in a Top-10 Showdown. The match will be televised live from Avery Aquatic Center on Pac-12 Network with Kevin Danna on the call. For more information including a Pac-12 Networks channel finder and T.V. Listings, visit this link (http://pac-12.com/tv-listings/pac-12-network). Visit our website and follow our social media for updates on Sunday's match and throughout the season.
Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @SunDevilWP | Facebook: Sun Devil Water Polo | Instagram: @SunDevilWaterPolo
Goals: Koopman (4), Benekou (3), Casas (2), Mihailovic
Assists: Koopman (2), Rogge, Allin, Mihailovic
Steals: Koopman (4), Allin (2), Casas (2), Rycraw (2), Rogge
Saves: Rycraw (9)
Arizona State (15-7) earns their 13th victory over a CWPA Top 25 team during the 2018 campaign. The Sun Devils have now won five consecutive matches over the Spartans dating back to 2014. ASU has defeated a pair of Top 25 teams on the road this season. The attention will turn quickly to the looming showdown with No. 1 Stanford, coming up on Sunday at 2:00 P.M. broadcasted live on Pac 12 Network.
Maud Koopman and Alkistis Benekou teamed up to lead a potent offensive attack for the Sun Devils. The duo finished with seven of Arizona State's ten goals, with Koopman recording her second four-goal performance and Benekou registering her fifth hat trick of the season. Koopman's all-around game was on full display throughout the match, as the versatile attacker contributed a team high two assists and four steals. Kayla Casas added two goals of her own and Mia Rycraw made stops when she needed to, finishing the night with nine saves.
Showing maturity and composure, Arizona State would respond to an early first period goal by the Spartans with a tally of their own. Maud Koopman would even the match up at the 7:08 mark in the first period, with each side trying to establish a defensive identity. After Koopman broke the seal, the goals would start to pour in with the Sun Devil offense finding its footing. Alkistis Benekou put the Sun Devils ahead with a goal, followed by Maud Koopman's second goal of the first period. Now leading 3-1, Kayla Casas beat the Spartan's goaltender to extend the ASU lead to 4-1 with 2:43 left in the period. Mia Rycraw finished the opening eight minutes with three saves, keeping the lead at 4-1 through one.
Maud Koopman continued to be the story in the early going offensively, as the junior was in the zone. Her third goal of the match came just 17 seconds into the second period, giving her a team high seven 3+ goal performances this season. Lena Mihailovic became the Sun Devils fourth different goal scorer with 4:50 still remaining in the first half, as she extended the Sun Devil lead to 6-1. With ASU in need of a response to a late Spartan push before the half, Alkistis Benekou provided one, scoring her second goal of the match. The Sun Devils would take a 7-2 lead into the break, with Mia Rycraw recorded five saves.
A quiet third period saw the Spartans score first, but the Sun Devils would regain momentum playing fantastic team defense. Kayla Casas answered the Spartans goal with her second goal of the match, extending the Sun Devils lead to 8-3. A last-minute offensive flurry would ensue, with each side scoring a goal in the last 30 seconds of the period. Maud Koopman would beat the buzzer with her fourth goal of the match, as it came with just five seconds remaining to put the Sun Devils up 9-4 at the end of three.
Alkistis Benekou became one of two Sun Devils to record a hat trick in the contest, opening the final period with her third goal of the match. The redshirt senior now is tied for the team lead with 12 multi-goal performances this season. Mia Rycraw made a few crucial saves to stifle any potential Spartan comeback, as she finished with nine saves and continued to provide a steadying presnce in net. The final period of play would be controlled by a stingy Sun Devil defense, who prevented the Spartans from getting within striking distance.
Up next, the Sun Devils have a quick turnaround, as they will travel down the road to Stanford to take on the No. 1-ranked Cardinal in a Top-10 Showdown. The match will be televised live from Avery Aquatic Center on Pac-12 Network with Kevin Danna on the call. For more information including a Pac-12 Networks channel finder and T.V. Listings, visit this link (http://pac-12.com/tv-listings/pac-12-network). Visit our website and follow our social media for updates on Sunday's match and throughout the season.
Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @SunDevilWP | Facebook: Sun Devil Water Polo | Instagram: @SunDevilWaterPolo
Goals: Koopman (4), Benekou (3), Casas (2), Mihailovic
Assists: Koopman (2), Rogge, Allin, Mihailovic
Steals: Koopman (4), Allin (2), Casas (2), Rycraw (2), Rogge
Saves: Rycraw (9)