USC
San Diego State
No. 1 USC Surges Past No. 14 San Diego State
March 27, 2010 | Women's Water Polo
March 27, 2010
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The No. 1 USC women's water polo team steered ahead of No. 14 San Diego State with a seven-goal scoring run en route to a 9-4 MPSF victory over the visiting Aztecs on Saturday afternoon at McDonald's Swim Stadium. Behind another round of stifling defense, the Trojans allowed just one first-half goal from San Diego State while the Trojan offense rolled things out of reach. The victory is USC's 12th straight win, improving the Women of Troy to 14-1 overall and 3-0 in MPSF play. The Aztecs go to 16-11, 0-5.
USC goalie Tumua Anae accumulated 12 saves in the game as the Trojans held San Diego State scoreless on all 6-on-5 opportunities. Trojan field blocks also stymied several Aztec power plays, while USC mixed up its offensive attack and had six different players score in the game. Sarah Van Norman was the first to hit a pair with back-to-back scores in the first period of action. Joelle Bekhazi and Kally Lucas would also finish with two goals in the game to go along with goals from Kristen Dronberger, Dominique Sardo and Forel Davies as USC built up a 9-1 lead on the Aztecs.
Bekhazi broke through first for USC with a 6-on-5 score out of the gates. Dronberger delivered next to make it 2-0 USC before San Diego State was able to get on the board with a score out of two-meters by Meaghan Poland. Van Norman would go to work at set for the Trojans, however, earning and finishing a Trojan 6-on-5 in which she snagged her own rebound for the put-in and a 3-1 USC lead. Van Norman would throw up a field block on the defensive end and go back to rifle in a skip shot from the top to power USC up to a 4-1 advantage at the end of the first.
USC pitched a shutout against the Aztecs in the next frame, as SDSU clanged a 5-meter penalty shot off the post and misfired on two more 6-on-5 chances. Meanwhile, Sardo slipped in a crosscage skipper and Davies rang up a power play strike for the Trojans later in the second to put USC ahead 6-1 at the half. USC's scoring run would grow to seven straight thanks to a trio of goals to open the second half. Lucas outlasted SDSU goalie Kelly Campoli for a score in the third, while Bekhazi blasted her second with a score as USC went up on a counterattack after an Anae save against an Aztec power play. Lucas rocketed in her second soon after, and USC held a 9-1 lead with 2:12 to go in the third. SDSU managed a score from the top by Sarah Brady with a minute left, ending USC's scoring surge and making it 9-2 USC on the way into the final period.
There, USC silenced another SDSU 6-on-5, but the Aztecs would get a pair of natural goals before the close of the game to round out the final score at 9-4 USC.
USC's next competition comes next week with a Thursday (April 1) nonconference match against Brown at 5 p.m. at McDonald's Swim Stadium. USC also has a double-header set for Saturday (April 3) with Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State Northridge coming to town for action beginning at 12 p.m.
#1 USC 9, #14 San Diego State 4
USC 4 - 2 - 3 - 0 = 9
SDSU 1 - 0 - 1 - 2 = 4
SCORING:
USC - Joelle Bekhazi 2, Sarah Van Norman 2, Kally Lucas 2, Kristen Dronberger, Dominique Sardo, Forel Davies.
SDSU - Meaghan Poland, Sarah Brady, Leanne Ford, Rachel Miller.
SAVES: Tumua Anae (USC) 12, Kelly Campoli (SDSU) 10.
