Jan. 25, 2013
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The #5 Arizona State University water polo team opened the 2013 campaign with a resounding 14-7 victory over #18 Cal Baptist to kick off the UCSB Winter Invite at the Campus Pool in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Friday.
The Sun Devils got off to a hot start, opening up a 11-1 lead through the first half to put things away early. ASU was up 12-2 through three quarters but gave up five goals in the final frame the make the game a bit closer than it bad been throughout.
Sun Devil Olympian Gao Ao paced the team with her first hat trick of the season, notching three goals in the contest. Alicia Brightwell, Shannon Haas and Amanda Young each had two goals apiece while Anna Kertes, Petra Pardi, Liz Kreek, Daisy Carter and Katie Sverchek each found the back of the net once. Carter and Sverchek, both freshmen, posted their first career goals.
In the cage, redshirt freshman E.B. Keeve was dominant as she blocked 12 shots on the contest and held the Lancers largely in check until the final frame.
ASU will face a big test this evening when they take on #8 Loyola Marymount in the second of today’s double-header match-ups at 6 p.m. PT.