Water polo improves to best start in program history
The #6 Arizona State University women’s water polo team is off to its best start in program history after sweeping its second consecutive tournament and improving to 8-0 after another dominating effort at the Cal Baptist Mini Lancer Invite on Saturday.
The Sun Devils scored double digits in each of its three games in the tournament en route to outscoring its opponents 45-14 in victories over #20 CSU Northridge, CSU Bakersfield and CSU San Bernardino.
"I am happy about our start and the team is putting it together when they need to and is happy to be 8-0, but not satisfied," ASU head coach Todd Clapper said. "We are looking forward to this week's practice and preparing for the San Diego Tournament."
Prior to this season’s current start, the best start that the Arizona State program (now in its 11th year) had posted was a 6-0 run to start the 2009 season.
ASU will return to action next weekend for its third consecutive tournament at the UC-San Diego Tournament in San Diego beginning Feb. 11.
A complete recap of each game from today's tournament is below:
#6 Arizona State 10, #20 CSU Northridge 5
The Sun Devils had their work cut out from them in the tournament opener against a scrappy CSU Northridge team. Northridge became the first team to take a lead against the Sun Devils this season, scoring the first goal of the match on a Marisa Young shot with 6:28 left in the first quarter.
ASU’s Alicia Brightwell answered with her 17th goal of the season just about a minute later and the Sun Devils took a 2-1 lead on a Shannon Haas goal heading into the second quarter.
The Matadors scored back-to-back goals just 34 second apart to reclaim the lead before the Sun Devils would score the next three goals to head into the break with a 5-3 advantage.
Both squads netted goals in the third before ASU was finally able to pull ahead in the fourth, holding CSUN scoreless while adding three goals in the final four minutes for the final tally.
The story of the game came on the defensive end, as ASU was able to hold CSUN 0-for-8 when the Matadors had an exclusion advantage and capitalized on 4-of-7 opportunities when ASU had the extra attacker.
Ianeta Hutchinson was a force in the goal, stopping 11 attempts to the five goals allowed for a .688 save percentage.
Brightwell would wind up with three goals on the game while senior Annabelle Carter netted two goals to lead the Sun Devils.
#6 Arizona State def. #20 CSU Northridge, 10-5
ASU – 2-3-2-3 = 10
CSUN – 1-2-2-0 = 5
GOALS
ASU: Brightwell 3, Carter 2, Kertes, Haas, Salloum, Pardi, Fowler
CSUN: Nelson 2, Young, Doll, Jamison
SAVES
ASU: Hutchinson 10
CSUN: Harvey 5
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#6 Arizona State 14, #20 CSU Bakersfield 7
The Sun Devils took down CSU Bakersfield for the second time in a week, defeating the Roadrunners 14-7 after a 15-5 victory at the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invite last weekend.
Shannon Haas netted four goals while Anna Kertes added three more and the Sun Devils held CSU to just three goals in the second half as the squad pulled away late.
Ianeta Hutchinson fended off 16 shots for a 70 percent save rate on the game while the Sun Devils scored on 14 of their 16 shot attempts. Hutchinson’s 16 saves are also a new career high and put her in a tie for fifth all-time in single game saves.
Haas’ second goal of the game just 33 seconds into the second half put ASU up 8-4 and proved to be the eventual game-winner.
Seniors Annabelle Carter, Mariam Salloum and Kelsey White all added two goals in the winning effort while Amanda Young added one more.
#6 Arizona State def. CSU Bakersfield, 14-7
ASU – 6-1-4-3 = 14
CSUB – 2-2-2-1 = 7
Goals
ASU: Haas 4, Kertes 3, Salloum 2, Carter 2, White 2, Young
CSUB: Shelby 2, Tsuruda 2, Browning, Nesbit, Hanson
SAVES
ASU: Hutchinson 16
CSUB: Pezzola 2
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#6 Arizona State 21, CSU San Bernardino 2
The Sun Devil offense exploded early on and left little doubt as to the outcome of the team’s afternoon cap as ASU wrapped up the Cal Baptist Mini Lancer Invite with a 21-2 rout over CSU San Bernardino to improve to 8-0 and the best start in program history.
Eight Sun Devils found the back of the net in the competition with seven of them scoring multiple goals. Freshman Petra Pardi lit up the scoreboard with five goals, making her one of just 13 student-athletes in school history to score five or more goals in one contest.
Fellow freshmen Anna Kertes and Makenzy Fowler each added three goals of their own, as did senior Mariam Salloum while Morgan Leech, Annabelle Carter and Shannon Haas each found the back of the bet twice and Amanda Young added her second goal of the tournament.
The defense was still the story of the game though, as Ianeta Hutchinson logged 15 saves to give her 42 on the day and a total save percentage of 75 percent.
Arizona State jumped out to a 15-1 lead at the half and cruised to match the team’s highest margin of victory in school history at 19. The squad’s 21 goals ranks as a tie for the second-most in school history as well.
#6 Arizona State def. CSU San Bernardino, 21-2
ASU – 7-8-3-3 = 21
CSUSB – 1-0-0-1 = 2
Goals
ASU: Pardi 5, Kertes 3, Fowler 3, Salloum 3, Leech 2, Carter 2, Haas 2, Young
CSUSB: Barrow, Vui
SAVES
ASU: Hutchinson 15
CSUSB: Morris 6