Women's Water Polo 2/28/2016 10:06:00 PM UCSD

No. 13 Tritons Fall to No. 7 Arizona State, Defeat No. 12 Pacific at UCI Invite

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - The 13th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team took down No. 12 University of the Pacific, 9-6, to conclude the two-day UC Irvine Invitational Sunday at Corona del Mar High School. The Tritons were defeated by No. 7 Arizona State, 9-5, in the first game of the day. UCSD finishes the tournament in 11th place at 2-2, after splitting day one of the invite as well.

The Tritons are now 8-6 overall.

GAME ONE - Arizona State 9, UC San Diego 5
UCSD took a 9-5 loss to ASU as the Sun Devils outscored the Tritons 8-4 in the final three periods.

Senior attacker Laurel Kistler put away the first goal of the game to give UCSD an early advantage. With 48 seconds remaining in the first, ASU's Abbey Kerth was able to take advantage of the six-on-five to tie the game.

The Tritons allowed four Sun Devil scores in the second quarter. UCSD got two goals from redshirt junior two-meter defender Alexis Wieseler and junior two-meter defender Lani Tittle in the period. The Tritons trailed 5-3 at halftime.

Triton junior center Lauren Boyer scored twice in the third frame, including one on a power play with 12 seconds left in the quarter. ASU put three away to take a 8-5 advantage into the fourth period.

UCSD did not score in the final eight minutes. The Sun Devils got some insurance with one goal to win by four.

Boyer led the Tritons with two goals. Senior goalie Courtney Miller amassed seven saves.

ASU got two scores each from Katie Sverchek, Daisy Carter, Ao Gao and Abbey Kerth. Sun Devil Goalie Mia Rycraw rejected six.

GAME TWO - UC San Diego 9, Pacific 6
UCSD did not allow a Pacific goal in the final 14 minutes of play to take a 9-6 victory after trailing by two.

The Tritons took an early 2-1 lead in the first quarter after getting scores from senior attacker Emma Sasson and Wieseler. The Tigers tied the game at halftime, 4-4, after scoring three in the second period. UCSD came from Wieseler and Sasson, once again, in the quarter.

Pacific quickly put two away, with the latter coming with 6:22 remaining in the third frame, to open the second half. The Triton defense was stellar from there as they did shut out the Tigers from there.

Sasson completed the hat trick and scored on a six-on-five to cut the margin to one. Freshman center Chanel Schilling was the one to tie the game. Wieseler completed her own hat trick as she got the go-ahead goal. UCSD went into the fourth quarter up by one, 7-6.

The Tritons got some insurance, as Tittle and Wieseler were able to find the back of the cage as UCSD prevailed.

“I was very proud of our continued effort to never give up, no matter how far behind we fall,” said head coach Brad Kreutzkamp. “This team could have quit so many times, but never did. They continue to pick each other up over and over again.”

Wieseler led the Tritons, scoring four times. Sasson pitched in three goals. Miller compiled nine saves.

Viktoria Szmodics led Pacific with four scores. Tiger goalie Alexis Hollinrake had six stops.

UCSD's next stop is at the Claremont Convergence on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5.

GAME ONE
UCSD 1 2 2 0 - 5
ASU 1 4 3 1 - 9

Goals
UCSD: Lauren Boyer 2, Laurel Kistler 1, Alexis Wieseler 1, Lani Tittle 1

ASU: Katie Sverchek 2, Daisy Carter 2, Ao Gao 2, Abbey Kerth 2, Maud Koopman 1

Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 7

ASU: Mia Rycraw 6

GAME TWO
UCSD 2 2 3 2 - 9
PAC 1 3 2 0 - 6

Goals
UCSD: Alexis Wieseler 4, Emma Sasson 3, Lani Tittle 1, Chanel Schilling 1

PAC: Viktoria Szmodics 4, Ellen Tiedemann 1, Karolina Hlavata 1

Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 6