April 9, 2011
BERKELEY, Calif. - Despite a strong team effort that saw eight different Aztec players score, the No. 11 San Diego State women's water polo team (19-11; 1-5 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) was unable to complete the upset of No. 2 California (21-3; 6-0 MPSF) on Saturday, losing 15-12 at the Spieker Aquatics Center in Berkeley, Calif.
SDSU fell behind early in the contest, forfeiting the first two goals of the game to Cal's Ashely Young within the first three minutes. The Aztecs were not deterred, though, working themselves out of a hole with goals from sophomore Amber Pezzolla, junior Kimmy Keach, sophomore Alex Ford and senior Sarah Brady to take a 4-3 lead into the second quarter.
The Aztecs and Bears would play follow the leader for the next six minutes, with each SDSU goal being followed immediately after by a Cal score. Cal's Breda Vosters would eventually break the trend late in the quarter, launching a deep cross-corner shot past junior goalkeeper Kelly Campoli to take a 7-6 lead into half, a lead the Bears would never forfeit.
Cal would continue their scoring run after the break, scoring the first two goals of the third quarter to take a 9-6 lead. Junior Meghan Poland cut the deficit to two when her shot on the power play beat Cal goalkeeper Stephanie Peckham with 5:30 remaining, but the Bears responded just 30 seconds later to extend their lead back to three. Following another Cal score, SDSU began to stage a comeback attempt. Following junior Leanne Ford team-leading 51st goal of the season, Keach would sink her second score of the game to put the Aztecs down 11-9 entering the final eight minutes of play.
Unfortunately for SDSU, the team's momentum would not carry over into the fourth quarter, as a composed Bears team crushed the Aztecs' dreams of a comeback by scoring two goals within three minutes to give Cal a 13-9 lead. Following a Jenna Natalizio goal, the Bears would go on to score twice more to all but seal the deal. Poland and senior Ronni Gautschi would each score for SDSU in the last minute of play, but time would run out on the ambitious Aztec squad. The final score in Berkeley: Bears 15, Aztecs 12.
San Diego State will be back in action next center in Los Angeles, Calif., as they take on UCLA at Spieker Aquatics Center.
No. 9 San Diego State 12, No. 2 California 15
Spieker Aquatics Center - Berkeley, Calif.
CAL: 3-4-4-4--15
SDSU: 4-2-3-3--12
CAL goals: Breda Vosters 6, Dana Ochsner 3, Ashley Young 3, Emily Csikos 2, Kirsten Mase
SDSU goals: Meaghan Poland 3, Sarah Brady 2, Kimmy Keach 2, Alex Ford, Leanne Ford, Ronni Gautschi, Jenna Natalizio, Amber Pezzolla
CAL saves: Stephanie Peckham - 10, Lindsay Dorst - 0
SDSU saves: Kelly Campoli - 9