TEMPE, Ariz. -- The 2020 came to a close earlier than expected, but the No. 6 Sun Devil women's water polo team proved there's a lot to be optimistic about when they return to the pool next season.
The Sun Devils finished the shortened season with a 12-5 record (1-1 MPSF), coming just two wins short of matching their total number of wins for the entire 2019 season. ASU defeated nine ranked opponents, including an upset against No. 5 UC Irvine, and the team posted a dominant 6-1 record at home.
With a wealth of new talent coming in for the 2020 season -- including six freshmen and one transfer -- the young Sun Devil team got off to a hot start, opening the year with two wins at home against Ottawa University of Arizona. The team broke a school record, scoring 20 goals in the season opener, and tied for third-most goals in a home game.
Devils score 3??9?? goals to start the season ??????https://t.co/vRPmhQCMx6
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) January 25, 2020
Two of the biggest wins of the season came at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla where the No. 8 Sun Devils upset No. 5 UC Irvine and later went on to knock off the host school, No. 7 UC San Diego, to take third place in the tournament.
When you #upset the No. 5 team in the nation ?? pic.twitter.com/g8fF47idvN
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) February 9, 2020
The Sun Devils headed to Southern California again to partake in the Barbara Kalbus Invitational where they picked up two more wins over teams ranked in the Top-15 of the CWPA Rankings -- No. 13 SJSU and No. 9 UCSB.
In the final weekend in action, and first weekend of MPSF play, the team traveled to the Bay Area where they defeated No. 13 SJSU in dominating fashion behind a career-high six-goal performance from Amira Van Buren. The Sun Devils ended the season with an 8-9 near-comeback loss at No. 2 Stanford.
The Sun Devils pick up a win in the first game of MPSF play as Amira Van Buren records a career-high six goals.
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) March 7, 2020
RECAP >> https://t.co/1s9SgV7DA5 pic.twitter.com/bCr6zyRhxE
SWEEPING MPSF WEEKLY HONORS
Following the team's third place finish at the 16-team UCSD Triton Invitational in February, the Sun Devils swept the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation weekly honors with Borbala Kekesi named Player of the Week and Eszter Kiss named Newcomer of the Week.
This was the first time that a Sun Devil has earned MPSF weekly honors since March 7, 2017 (Lena Mihailovic) and the first time ASU has swept the MPSF weekly honors since March 22, 2016, when Mia Rycraw earned Player of the Week honors and Maud Koopman was named freshman of the week.
Sun Devils sweep the MPSF weekly honors ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) February 11, 2020
? Borbala Kekesi named Player of the Week
? Eszter Kiss named Newcomer of the Week
RELEASE: https://t.co/VuFNrCzJlP pic.twitter.com/imkin86DR1
TEAM LEADERS
Sophomore Borbala Kekesi showed immense improvement in her second season with the Sun Devils, becoming the team's leading scorer and second-highest scorer in the MPSF Conference. Kekesi more than tripled her total goals scored from 2019, finishing the season with 45 goals.
Freshman Ezster Kiss made an immediate impact on both ends of the pool, leading the team with 18 assists and totaling 23 steals, the second most on the team.
Blaire McDowell led the team and the MPSF conference with 25 steals, with six of those coming in the two MPSF matchups.
Itzahiana Baca had an impressive freshman campaign, posting 119 saves in 47 quarters played. Baca made 16 saves, the second-most saves by a true-freshman, in the win against No. 15 Princeton. Her 119 saves is the second-best in the MPSF Conference.
RANKINGS
The Sun Devils ranked No. 6 in the final CWPA Top 25 poll, up two spots from their preseason ranking at No. 8.
The Sun Devils ranked No. 6 in the final CWPA poll ????#ForksUp pic.twitter.com/fIF4yvWBEO
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) April 1, 2020
ALL-MPSF AWARDS
Following the conclusion of the 2020 season, three members of the Sun Devil Water Polo team were named to the MPSF All-Conference Teams, earning five individual honors.
Freshman goalkeeper Itzahiana Baca was selected to the All-MPSF First Team, the first Sun Devil to earn this recognition since 2017. Junior Amira Van Buren was named to the Second Team, her second conference honor after making the MPSF All-Newcomer Team her freshman year. Freshman Eszter Kiss earned All-MPSF Honorable Mention, and both Baca and Kiss were named to the All-Newcomer Team.
MPSF LEADERS BY THE NUMBERS
2.65 - Borbala Kekesi averaged 2.65 goals per game in 17 games played, second most in the MPSF. Amira Van Buren finished fifth with 2.18 goals per game.
6 - Blaire McDowell led the conference with 6 steals during conference play.
7 - Eszter Kiss finished seventh in the MPSF with 18 assists on the season.
10 - Amira Van Buren led the conference with 10 goals scored in conference play.
25 - Blaire McDowell led the MPSF with 25 steals.
45 - Borbala Kekesi finished second in the MPSF with 45 goals scored. Amira Van Buren finished tied for seventh with 37 goals.
54 - Borbala Kekesi finished the season with 54 points, fourth most in the MPSF.
119 - Itzahiana Baca had 119 saves on the season, the second most in the MPSF.