March 15, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. -
Behind three goals from junior Addison McGrath and 15 saves from goalie Caylinn Wallace, the No. 8 Arizona State University water polo team upset No. 4 California 8-7 Saturday at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center on ASU's campus. The win improves the Sun Devils to 13-9 and 3-4 in the MPSF while dropping the Golden Bears to 11-6 and 4-3 in the MPSF.
"The team really came out and, for four quarters, was aggressive on the defensive end and patient on offense," head coach Todd Clapper said. "This is one of the biggest wins in our program history."
The Sun Devils scored in the first ten seconds of the game on a goal by McGrath, but Cal battled back to tie the score at 2-2 at the end of the first quarter. The Bears then took their only lead by scoring the first goal of the second quarter, but the Sun Devils then scored five unanswered goals over the next 16 minutes of game action to take control.
Cal got within 7-5 in the fourth quarter, but McGrath's third goal of the game extended ASU's lead to three with just over three minutes to play. The Bears scored twice in the final two minutes, but it was not enough, as Wallace made several key saves in the second half, including one on a Cal breakaway with less than two minutes left.
"Addison and Caylinn were great from start to finish," Clapper said. "Caylinn just made a huge block, one on nobody, to keep us ahead by two."
In addition to McGrath's three goals, senior Katy Lawlor scored twice while sophomores Amanda Stepp and Kelly Phelps and freshman Candice Phillippe had one goal each.
The Sun Devils now have a week off from competition before hosting the ASU Invitational March 29-30.
