April 27, 2012
PALO ALTO, Calif. - In the most dramatic game of the first day of competition at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships, the #5 Arizona State University water polo team came just short in a shootout to #4 Cal, falling 13-12 in double overtime.
Alicia Brightwell and Kelsey White each had three goals and the Sun Devils rallied from numerous deficits throughout the course of the game to send things to over time, but in the end it was a late goal by Dana Ochsner with just 1:31 remaining that proved to be the decided factor as a couple last-minute attempts by ASU could not find the mark.
Cal jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead early in the game, netting both goals within the first 1:23 of regular before ASU found it's scoring touch and evened thing at three. From there it was a back-forth-affair through the remainder of the half with the Golden Bears taking the slight 7-6 edge into the halftime break.
Cal would stretch its lead to 10-7 at one point in the third period but ASU answered with back-to-back goals in the final minute and a half to make it 10-9 heading into the final frame.
The Sun Devils scored on a penalty shot to net things at 10 early in the fourth but Cal responded right back to go back ahead 11-10.
The teams would trade goals over the final minutes with neither team being able to score the deciding goal in regulation, sending this to overtime all tied up at 12.
The first overtime finish went scoreless after ASU lone scoring chance careened off the cross bar but it was Ochsner's fast break chance in the second overtime period that found the back of the net as the Golden Bears hung on.
It was the first overtime game of the year for the Sun Devils and Brightwell's performance gave her her 17th hat trick of the season.
ASU will return to the Avery Aquatic Center tomorrow at 10 a.m. PST for a tilt against Hawai'I as the Sun Devils will look to seal a spot in Sunday's fifth-place game.
California - 3-4-3-2-0-1 = 13
Arizona State - 3-3-3-3-0-0 = 12
California Goal Scorers - McLaren 4, Ochsner 4, Vosters 2, Young 2, Dodson
Arizona State Goal Scorers - Brightwell 3, White 3, Kertes 2, Salloum 2, Carter, Gao
Goalie Saves: - Dorst 8 (C); Hutchinson 5 (ASU)