April 2, 2010
SAN DIEGO - Amber Pezzolla scored five goals and the Aztecs received goals from five different players as No. 14 San Diego State downed 20th-ranked Brown, 10-5, Friday morning at Aztec Aquaplex. The win snaps a two-game losing streak and improves SDSU's record to 17-11 on the season.
The first quarter featured strong defense by both teams, but San Diego State emerged with a 3-2 lead after one. Leanne Ford started the scoring with a straight-away, long-distance goal and was followed by Pezzolla's first goal of the game 29 seconds later on a counter-attack chance. Brown notched its first goal just over two minutes into the game when Joanna Wohlmuth found the back of the net. The quarter ended with two goals in the final 1:15, one coming from Pezzolla on a 6-on-5 opportunity and the other coming from Sarah Glick on the ensuing possession.
The swarming defense continued in the second quarter as the game remained scoreless for nearly the first five minutes. The offensive drought was halted when San Diego State found itself in transition and Melissa de Jonckheere spotted Pezzolla with a diagonal cross-pool pass, who in turn scored her third goal of the game. Less than a minute later, Ford found Meghann Pedersen at two meters and the freshman backhanded the Aztecs' fifth goal. With SDSU holding the Bears off the scoreboard, San Diego State went into halftime up, 5-2.
Pezzolla extended the Aztecs' lead when San Diego State thwarted Brown's power play and went on the counter attack. The freshman San Dimas, Calif., rattled her shot off the cross bar which gave SDSU a 6-2 lead. On the other end of the pool, the Bears responded with Glick's second goal of the game, only to have the home team answer with a Leanne Ford goal into the upper right corner as the shot clock was winding down. Brown stayed within striking distance after Avery Mosser scored her first of the contest, but San Diego State received goals from Pezzolla and Brady to extend its lead to 9-4. Then with seven seconds left in the third, Rita Bullwinkel cut the Bears' deficit to four.
After a high-scoring third period, the offensive production came to a halt and only a single goal was produced. With 3:25 left in the game, Meaghan Poland was on the receiving end of the Lindsey Morris pass and the sophomore notched the team's 10th goal of the morning.
The Aztecs return to the pool later this afternoon for a 2 p.m. PT contest against Cal Baptist at Aztec Aquaplex.
No. 14 San Diego State 10, No. 20 Brown 5
BU 2-0-3-0--5
SDSU 3-2-4-1--10
Brown goals: Sarah Glick 2, Joanna Wohlmuth, Avery Mosser, Rita Bullwinkel
SDSU goals: Amber Pezzolla 5, Leanne Ford 2, Meghann Pedersen, Sarah Brady, Meaghan Poland
Brown saves: Stephanie Laing 11
SDSU saves: Kelly Campoli 8