April 1, 2006
SAN DIEGO - The seventh-ranked San Diego State water polo team dropped a 16-11 decision to top-ranked Southern California Saturday afternoon in front of more than 500 fans at The Salvation Army Kroc Center. Despite holding USC's leading scorer, Brittany Hayes, without a goal, the Aztecs could not stop a potent offense that featured nine different players registering at least one goal. With the loss, SDSU falls to 18-7 (4-4 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation), while the Women of Troy run their record to 20-0 (9-0 MPSF).
Southern California opened the league contest with two goals before Rachel Serna converted a 6-on-5 opportunity with a shot in the upper right-hand corner of the net past USC goalie Whitney Morgan. The Women of Troy responded when Miranda Nichols scored her first of four goals with 3:09 remaining in the quarter. Moments later, Cassie Zebisch drew an ejection on USC's Kami Craig, leading to Elana Cervantes scoring a goal that ricocheted off the post and past Morgan. Southern California ended the first stanza with two more goals taking a 5-2 lead.
In the second quarter, both school's offensive units thrived as 10 total goals were scored. The Aztecs cut their deficit to two when Stacy Werner lobbed a shot from the right side past Morgan. Unfortunately, USC answered with two additional goals before Serna fired a shot at the bottom left corner to post her second of the game. Once again, the Women of Troy scored another pair before Erinn Greenwood found the back of the net for her 12th of the season only to have USC post two more goals. SDSU ended the half with Ashling Taylor's power play goal with 18 seconds left in the half.
The offensive output slowed as the third quarter came around with USC's Moriah Van Norman notching the first goal of the second half. Werner cut the USC lead to five when she put a shot past three Women of Troy players in front the net, but as it did all day, USC came back to put three more on the scoreboard. The Aztecs ended the third frame scoring twice as Taylor scored on a 6-on-5 player advantage and Susan Stivers scored on a 4-meter penalty shot.
In the fourth quarter, SDSU posted its third consecutive goal as Cervantes took a pass from Becca Ur and backhanded it past USC's keeper notching her second of the game. Southern California scored its lone goal of the fourth with 2:09 left and Jenna Schuster gave the contest its final score with her goal off a Zebisch pass with just over a minute remaining.
San Diego State's 11 goals are the most Southern California has given up all season. Prior to game, the most goals the Women of Troy had allowed this season was eight against UCLA back on Feb. 12.
The Aztecs will return to action April 8 when they play at Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif. The MPSF match is set to begin at 6 p.m. PDT.
#1 Southern California 16, #7 San Diego State 11
USC 5-6-4-1---16SDSU 2-4-3-2---11
Southern California goals: Miranda Nichols - 4, Moriah Van Norman - 3, Patty Cardenas - 2, Lauren Wenger - 2, Jordan Anae, Veronika Bartunkova, Kami Craig, Erika Figge, Anna Pardo
San Diego State goals: Elana Cervantes - 2, Rachel Serna - 2, Ashling Taylor - 2, Stacy Werner - 2, Erinn Greenwood, Jenna Schuster, Susan Stivers
Southern California goalie saves: Whitney Morgan - 18
San Diego State goalie saves: Sarah Kilgore - 4