Sports News Southwest

San Diego, California - The sixth-ranked San Diego State women’s water polo team saw its nine-game winning streak snapped as it suffered a 13-8 loss at the hands of No. 3 University of Southern California.

 

The junior duo of Jenna Schuster and Anna Gonzales led the Scarlet and Black with four and three goals, respectively. Gonzales also had three steals, while classmate Erinn Greenwood chipped in with a tally and five ejections drawn.

 

USC came out of the gates firing on its opening possession with Veronika Bartunkova scoring on a power play. Less than two minutes later, the Trojans found themselves with another 6-on-5 situation, and this time Forel Davies found the back of the cage, giving USC an early 2-0 lead.

 

SDSU got its offense going late in the first quarter as Gonzales converted on a penalty shot at the 2:33 mark, before Schuster knotted the score at two with a breakaway goal. USC regained the lead, however, scoring twice in the final 50 seconds of the period.

The Aztecs found themselves in unfamiliar territory in the second frame when the Trojans notched five unanswered goals to start the quarter. Trailing 9-2, Gonzales scored on her second penalty shot of the day, while Schuster tacked on another tally with under a minute on the clock, closing the gap to five at the break.

 

The Scarlet and Black was unable to continue its comeback in the second half as the two teams traded a pair of goals in the final two periods, giving USC the 13-8 victory.

Bartunkova led the Women of Troy with four goals, while Davies, Jordan Anae, and Michelle Stein each notched two tallies. USC’s defense, which is ranked second in the nation, gave SDSU a hard time as the Aztecs were able to convert on just three of its 12 man-up opportunities.

 

San Diego State will return to the pool Saturday, April 5, with a non-conference doubleheader at UC San Diego. The Aztecs will open the day with a 1 p.m. (PDT) match against Chapman University before taking on the 19th-ranked Tritons in the seventh-annual Harper Cup at 4 p.m. (PDT).

 

SDSU will resume MPSF play, Tuesday, April 8, when it hosts No. 4 Hawai’i at 3 p.m. (PDT).

 

#3 USC 13, #6 SDSU 8
Aztec Aquaplex - San Diego, Calif.
March 29, 2008

USC    4-5-2-2 -- 13
SDSU  2-2-2-2 -- 8

USC goals: Bartunkova 4, Davies 2, J. Anae 2, Stein 2, Dronberger, Nichols, Riddle.
SDSU goals: Schuster 4, Gonzales 3, Greenwood.