Water polo closes regular season at San Diego State

April 08, 2009

The No. 8 Arizona State University water polo team (13-11, 0-6 MPSF) wraps up its regular season at noon on Saturday at No. 7 San Diego State (20-8, 0-6 MPSF). The Sun Devils and Aztecs will both be looking for their first win in the MPSF conference, which is currently home to the top eight teams in the nation. San Diego State defeated ASU 10-8 earlier this season at the UC Irvine Invitational.<separator></separator>HALF A HUNDRED With two goals in last weekend's 11-9 loss to No. 5 California, senior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mcgrath_addison00.html"… McGrath</a> eclipsed the 50-goal mark for the third straight season. McGrath scored 54 goals in 2007, a program-record 81 last year and she currently has 51 this season. It also meant the Sun Devils would have two 50-goal scorers for the second consecutive year, as McGrath joins sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/smith_lynlee00.html">Ly… Smith</a>, who currently leads the team with 57 goals. In 2008, McGrath had 81 goals and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/phelps_kelly00.html">Ke… Phelps</a> collected 53. ASU has had a 50-goal scorer seven times since the program's inception in 2002, with six coming in the last four years under head coach <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/clapper_todd00.html">To… Clapper</a>.<separator></separator>FACING THE BEST The Sun Devils have already played 20 games against ranked opponents this season, and they are 9-11 overall in those contests. They have three victories this season over teams ranked in the top 10, beating No. 7 UC Davis 9-6 and No. 5 California 11-10 at the UC Irvine Invitational on February 21-22 and then defeating No. 9 UC Irvine 11-10 on March 29. ASU will play at least four more games this season against top 10 opponents, beginning with Saturday's match-up at No. 7 San Diego State. The Sun Devils will then play three games in the MPSF Championships against teams currently ranked in the top 10. The eight MPSF teams are the top eight teams in this week's Top 20 poll.<separator></separator>SCORING IN BUNCHES Arizona State is scoring goals at a record pace so far this season. The Sun Devils have scored 256 goals on the season, an average of 10.67 goals per game. At that pace, they would set a new school record for team goals per game. The current record is held by the 2007 team, which averaged 9.57 goals per game while going 14-14 on the season. The Devils set a single-game school record with 25 goals in their 25-6 victory over Cal Lutheran on March 29, after tying the previous single-game mark with 20 goals in their season-opening win over Colorado State on January 24. ASU has scored eight or more goals in 17 of 24 games on the season.<separator></separator>LYNLEE LIGHTS IT UP Sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/smith_lynlee00.html">Ly… Smith</a> had a brilliant weekend during the ASU Invitational on March 28-29, scoring 22 goals and adding four assists in the four games of the tournament. She began the weekend by tying her previous season-high with four goals against San Jose State on Saturday, but that would end up being her lowest output of the weekend. She scored five goals later on Saturday in a win over Santa Clara, and then she totaled 13 goals in victories over Cal Lutheran and UC Irvine on Sunday. That included tying a single-game program record with seven goals against Cal Lutheran. For her efforts, Smith was named the MPSF Mikasa Co-Player of the Week. It was the second time this season that a Sun Devil earned the honor, as <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mcgrath_addison00.html"… McGrath</a> won the award on January 26 after scoring 13 goals in the three games of the Michigan Invitational.<separator></separator>PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF After earning First-Team All-American honors in 2008, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mcgrath_addison00.html"… McGrath</a> is having a fantastic senior season. She has 51 goals, 21 assists and 26 steals so far this season, and she has scored a goal in 19 of the 21 games she has played in, with 15 multiple-goal games. McGrath was selected as the Mikasa MPSF Co-Player of the Week for the first week of the season, as she scored 13 goals, had five assists and added five steals in the team's three games at the season-opening Michigan Invitational. It was the third time in her career she earned the conference's player of the week honor, also doing so in April 2006 and in the final week of the regular season last year. In addition, McGrath's five-goal performance against No. 14 CS Northridge on January 24 was her 50th career multiple-goal game.<separator></separator>SECOND-SEASON SENSATION Sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/unbehaun_nikki00.html">… Unbehaun</a> has played a big role in her second year as a Sun Devil. She currently ranks third on the team with 30 goals, already tripling her freshman season total of 10. Unbehaun has three four-goal games this year, coming in victories over Bucknell on January 25, No. 12 Hartwick on February 1 and No. 5 California on February 22. The four goals against the Golden Bears helped the Sun Devils to their first win of the season over a top-five team and their first comeback victory when trailing after three quarters.<separator></separator>BURSTING ON THE SCENE Sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/smith_lynlee00.html">Ly… Smith</a> has had a brilliant start to her collegiate career. The New Zealand native who played in the 2005 World Championships and the 2005 and 2007 Junior World Championships has made an immediate impact for the Sun Devils. She has scored goals in 20 of her first 24 career college games, including seven games with four or more goals. She tied a single-game school record with seven goals in the team's 25-6 victory over Cal Lutheran on March 29, part of a weekend at the ASU Invitational in which she scored 22 goals in four games. Smith currently leads the Sun Devils with 57 goals and 80 points, and she is second on the team with 23 assists.<separator></separator>MAKING A SPLASH Smith is not the only newcomer contributing for the Sun Devils in 2009. Freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/salloum_mariam00.html">… Salloum</a> has started all 24 games and is tied for fourth on the team with 43 points (24 goals and 19 assists), while sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/schubert_sam00.html">Sam Schubert</a> has also played in all 24 games, scoring 14 goals and adding seven assists. Freshman goalie <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/harvey_dana00.html">Dana Harvey</a> has collected 125 saves and stopped 43 percent of the shots she has faced while making 17 starts in the cage. Freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/morrison_bella00.html">… Morrison</a> made her collegiate debut at the Stanford Invitational, and she has nine goals and four assists in 16 games, while fellow freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/white_kelsey00.html">Ke… White</a> has played in nine games and has two goals, two assists and three steals.<separator></separator>LET THE RECORD SHOW <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mcgrath_addison00.html"… McGrath</a> has rewritten the Arizona State record books in her time on campus. She set single-season school records with her 81 goals and 123 points last season, and in the process she became the school's career leader in both categories. She currently has 225 goals and 331 points, and she will look to put the finishing touches on both records as the season concludes. McGrath is also within striking distance of ASU's all-time assists record. She has 106 in her career, putting her in second place and just 13 behind <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/bower_ashley00.html">As… Bower</a>, who had 119 assists from 2004-2007. In addition, she has 131 career steals, placing her fifth on the school's career list in that category.<separator></separator>EYE ON THE RECORD BOOKS McGrath is not the only Sun Devil climbing the charts in the school's record books. Junior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/phelps_kelly00.html">Ke… Phelps</a> is currently fourth in Sun Devil history in goals scored (106) and fifth in points (146). In addition, junior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/miles_bonnie00.html">Bo… Miles</a> has moved to fourth on the school's all-time list with 67 assists, and she ranks eighth all-time with 113 points. Also, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/salloum_mariam00.html">… Salloum</a> has climbed into the top 10 list among all freshmen in school history with her 24 goals, 19 assists and 43 points this season.<separator></separator>HAT TRICKS A PLENTY The Sun Devils already have 29 instances of a player scoring three or more goals in a game so far this season. Senior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mcgrath_addison00.html"… McGrath</a> has 10 of them, including a season-high five goals in the team's victory over No. 14 CS Northridge on January 24, and sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/smith_lynlee00.html">Ly… Smith</a> has eight, including a single-game school record-tying seven goals in a win over Cal Lutheran on March 29. Sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/unbehaun_nikki00.html">… Unbehaun</a>, junior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/phelps_kelly00.html">Ke… Phelps</a><a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/salloum_mariam00.html">… Salloum</a> also have multiple games with three or more goals on the season, while sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/schubert_sam00.html">Sam Schubert</a> recorded her first career hat trick in the victory over Cal Lutheran on March 29. and freshman<separator></separator>IN THE CAGE Freshman <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/harvey_dana00.html">Dana Harvey</a>, sophomore <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/morris_kaitlyn00.html">… Morris</a> and junior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/greenberg_taylor00.html… Greenberg</a> are combining to help the Sun Devils replace All-American goalie <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/wallace_caylinn00.html"… Wallace</a> this season. Wallace was a four-year starter for ASU, collecting a program-record 1,087 career saves and a single-season record 346 saves last year. Harvey has collected 125 saves and stopped 43 percent of the shots she has faced while playing in 20 games (17 starts). Morris, who played in eight games last season as Wallace's backup, has seen action in eight games (four starts) in 2009 and recorded 33 saves, while Greenberg, who rejoined the team this season after redshirting in 2006 and then being out of water polo for two years, has 19 saves in six games.<separator></separator>THE 200/300 CLUB While the Sun Devils competed at the Stanford Invitational on February 7-8, senior <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mcgrath_addison00.html"… McGrath</a> reached two numbers never before seen in Arizona State water polo history. In the team's 10-9 overtime win over No. 18 Indiana, McGrath scored four goals to give her 200 in her career. Then, the next day, against No. 10 San Jose State, she again scored four goals, and the second gave her 300 career points. The school's all-time leader in both categories, McGrath now has 225 goals and 331 points.<separator></separator>A RECORD START The Sun Devils began the season with six straight wins, setting a new school record for a season-opening win streak. They defeated Colorado State, No. 14 CS Northridge and Bucknell at the Michigan Invitational on January 24-25, beat No. 15 CS Bakersfield and No. 13 CS Northridge at the Cal Baptist Mini-Tournament on January 31 and then knocked off No. 12 Hartwick at the UC Irvine Mini-Tournament on February 1. The previous mark for longest season-opening win streak came in 2006, when ASU won four in a row to open the year.<separator></separator>IN THE SERIES... SAN DIEGO STATE Arizona State is 3-7 in the all-time series against San Diego State. The Aztecs defeated the Sun Devils earlier this season, on February 22 in the fifth-place game of the UC Irvine Invitational, by a score of 10-8. The teams split their two meetings last year, with San Diego State winning 7-5 on Feb. 24, 2008, and ASU winning 10-7 in Tempe on April 19, 2008. The Sun Devils are 2-3 against the Aztecs in MPSF regular season contests.<separator></separator>PRESEASON MPSF SELECTIONS Arizona State received 13 points and was ranked seventh in the 2009 MPSF preseason women's water polo coaches' poll. USC received 48 points and six of the eight first-place votes to take the top spot, followed by Stanford and four-time defending national champion UCLA, who each got one first-place vote. Hawai'i, California and San Diego State followed, and San Jose State received the eighth position. In 2008, the Sun Devils finished tied for fifth in the MPSF regular season, their highest finish since joining the conference in 2004.<separator></separator>WELCOME BACK The 2009 Sun Devils have 22 players on the roster, including 10 that return from last year's squad. The returning players feature just one senior, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mcgrath_addison00.html"… McGrath</a>, four juniors in <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/campo_jennifer00.html">… Campo</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/miles_bonnie00.html">Bo… Miles</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/phelps_kelly00.html">Ke… Phelps</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/walsh_kari00.html">Kari Walsh</a>, and five sophomores in <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/hayes_lauren00.html">La… Hayes</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/morris_kaitlyn00.html">… Morris</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/phillippe_candice00.htm… Phillippe</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/stibbe_christy00.html">… Stibbe</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/unbehaun_nikki00.html">… Unbehaun</a>. Junior goalie <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/greenberg_taylor00.html… Greenberg</a> also returns to the Sun Devils this season, after having been out of water polo for the last two years. She redshirted during the 2006 season.<separator></separator>NEW FACES There are 11 newcomers on the team this season, including six international players. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/harvey_dana00.html">Dana Harvey</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/morrison_bella00.html">… Morrison</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/schubert_sam00.html">Sam Schubert</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/smith_lynlee00.html">Ly… Smith</a> all come to Tempe from New Zealand, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/salloum_mariam00.html">… Salloum</a> hails from Germany and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/white_kelsey00.html">Ke… White</a> arrives from South Africa. In addition, freshmen <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/bedell_aimee00.html">Ai… Bedell</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/debold_terra00.html">Te… Debold</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/esson_kaileigh00.html">… Esson</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/funston_stephanie00.htm… Funston</a> and <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/mercerau_ashley00.html"… Mercerau</a> round out the Arizona State roster.<separator></separator>NEW TO THE STAFF Mark Lawrence joins the Sun Devil coaching staff this season as the graduate assistant manager. A three-year player in the Australian National League, Lawrence comes to Tempe after spending a year as the men's assistant head coach at Ohlone Junior College in Fremont, Calif., where he played from 1999-2001.<separator></separator>NEXT TIME OUT The Sun Devils have a week off from competition before traveling to Honolulu, Hawai'i, for the MPSF Championships, where they will be seeded either seventh or eighth.