No. 13 UCSD Starts Season With a Pair of Losses

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The No. 13 UC San Diego women's water polo team opened its 2015 campaign with two losses in the UCSB Winter Invite. UCSD fell to No. 5 Arizona State, 9-5, before dropping to CSU Bakersfield, 11-6, Saturday at the UCSB Recreation Center. Alexis Wieseler led the Tritons on the day with two goals in each game.

"We knew this would be a tough tournament," head coach Brad Kreutzkamp said. "The entire team has new roles this year and we knew we wouldn't figure those out in just two games.

In the opening match, the Tritons found themselves in a 4-0 hole after the opening period. UCSD bounced back in the second quarter with two goals from Wieseler.

Connie Wu tacked on another goal for the Tritons in the third quarter, but the Sun Devils recorded three goals and took a 9-3 lead heading into the final period.

Behind goalkeeper Courtney Miller, UCSD excelled on defense in the fourth quarter. The Tritons shut out the Sun Devils while Lani Tittle and Emma Sasson each added a goal. Miller finished the first game with seven saves.

ASU was led by Izabella Chiappini, who finished the match with a hat trick.

In the second game of the day, the Tritons once again got off to a slow start. Despite a goal apiece from Laurel Kistler and Wieseler, CSU Bakersfield took a 5-2 lead after the first quarter.

Kistler notched her second goal of the game in the next quarter, but the Roadrunners countered with two of their own.

Miller held Bakersfield to just four goals in the final half, but it wasn't enough to give UCSD the win. Jolene Guiliana score twice in the second half and Wieseler recorded her fourth of the day to round out the scoring for the Tritons.

"We missed 23 shots against Bakersfield and that's just not going to cut it," Kreutzkamp said. "We will get better. I guarantee that."

UCSD continues play at the UCSB Winter Invite tomorrow with a pair of games. The Tritons face No. 17 Michigan at 9:30 a.m. before taking on Long Beach State at noon.

Box Game One
UCSD 0 2 1 2 - 5
ASU 4 2 3 0 - 9
Goals
UCSD: Alexis Wieseler 2, Connie Wu 1, Lani Tittle 1, Emma Sasson 1
ASU: Izabella Chiappini 3, Daisy Carter 2, Alkistis Benekou 1, Petra Pardi 1, Lena Mihailovic 1, Claudia Abad 1
Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 7
ASU: EB Keeve

Box Game Two
UCSD 2 1 1 2 - 6
CSUB 5 2 2 2 - 11
Goals
UCSD: Laurel Kistler 2, Alexis Wieseler 2, Jolene Guiliana 2
CSUB: Nicola Barrett 3, Janelle Shelby 3, Bridgette Souza 2, Kristen Farzen 1, Niki De Leon 1, Jada Helberg 1
Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 11
CSUB: Courtney Wahlstrom