Water polo adds another pair of routs in doubleheader
The #4 Arizona State University water polo team took part in its second doubleheader in three days as the squad posted back-to-back victories against #18 Princeton and Azusa-Pacific on Tuesday in Walnut, Calif.
The Sun Devils opened the day with a convincing 16-8 over the Tigers before routing the Cougars in the afternoon cap, 20-6. With that performance, the team posted its second-highest goal tally in a true road contest in the past three days after dropping 21 on Pomona-Pitzer on Sunday.
The Sun Devils improved to 20-3 on the season with the effort, earning 20 wins for just the second times in school history and the first since the 2008 season.
Junior center Shannon Haas led all Sun Devils in scoring on the day with eight goals between the two games, five of which coming against Azusa Pacific.
After Saturday's loss to No. 1 UCLA, the Sun Devils have ripped off four consecutive victories by a combined goal scored edge of 73-23.
The Sun Devils return to action on Saturday, March 24 at home as the team will square off in an important MPSF conference dual against #3 USC. The game is set to get underway at Noon PST.
Recaps of each of the days' competitions can be found below.
#4 Arizona State 16, #18 Princeton 8
Arizona State opened up the doubleheader in a matchup against the #18 Tigers of Princeton University. After surrendering an early goal just 31 seconds in the the game, the Sun Devils ripped off six straight of a 6-1 lead after the first quarter and cruised to a 16-8 victory in Pacific, Calif.
Four members of the ASU team netted hat tricks over the course of the match, including Shannon Haas, Mariam Salloum, Annabelle Carter and Gao Ao. For Ao, a freshman, it was the first hat trick of her collegiate career.
Goalkeeper Ianeta Hutchinson had eight saves in the cage for a 50 percent save percentage on the match. Salloum moved within two goals of Kelly Phelps for fourth all-time on ASU career goals list with 122.
The Sun Devils moved to 19-3 on the year with the victory and will go on to face host Azusa Pacific later in the afternoon.
SCORING
ASU - 6-4-4-2
PU - 1-4-3-0
GOALS
ASU - Carter 3, Haas 3, Salloum 3, Gao 3, White 2, Pardi, Kertes
PU - Rigler 3, McBee 2, Soroka, Hatcher, Holecheck
SAVES
ASU - Hutchinson 8
PU - Ward 5
#4 Arizona State 20, Azusa Pacific 6
The Sun Devils continued their recent offensive tear against Azusa Pacific in the second half on Tuesday's doubleheader in Walnut, Calif., easily handling the Cougars en route to a 20-6 victory,
ASU improved to 20-3 on the year with the performance and reached the 20-win plateau for just the second time in school history.
The Sun Devils were dominant at the center position in the match with junior Shannon Haas and freshman Petra Pardi finding the back of the net five times each. With the effort, Pardi became just the second Sun Devil in school history to net five or more goals in three different games in a season, tying Lynlee Smith's 2009 record in the category.
Arizona State opened up a 9-2 halftime lead and never looked back as the team scored 20 goals in a game for the third time this season and second time in three days.
Anna Kertes, Annabelle Carter, Liz Kreek, Mariam Salloum and Amanda Young all got in on the scoring action with Young earning her second career hat trick in the process.
ASU returns home this weekend to square off against MPSF conference rival #3 USC on Saturday at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center, beginning at Noon PST.
SCORING
ASU - 4-5-8-3
APU - 0-2-1-3
GOALS
ASU - Haas 5, Pardi 5, Young 3, Salloum 3, Kertes 2, Carter, Kreek
APU - Folsom 3, Horchler 2, Gonzales
SAVES
ASU - Hutchinson 6
APU - Sovick 12