Water polo routs Iona, Pomona-Pitzer in doubleheader
The No. 4 Arizona State University water polo team wasted no time shaking off yesterday’s tough loss to top-ranked UCLA as the Sun Devils routed Pomona-Pitzer and Iona in a doubleheader on Sunday in Pomona, Calif.
All 12 members of ASU’s typical rotation found the back of the net over the course of the day as the squad opened up with a 16-3 victory over Iona before taking down Pomona-Pitzer, 21-6, in the afternoon cap.
Mariam Salloum and Alicia Brightwell tallied six goals over the course of the two games to lead all Sun Devils (18-3, 2-1 MPSF) while goalkeeper Ianeta Hutchinson had a total of 24 saves.
On the weekend, Brightwell found netted 10 goals to give her 54 on the season and move her into a tie for fifth in ASU’s single-season goals scored category with Addison McGrath. Brightwell is just 11 goals out of second on the all-time lit but will likely and has an outside shot at challenging McGrath’s school record of 81, achieved in 2008.
The Sun Devils will have a day off tomorrow before regrouping for another doubleheader on Tuesday as the team will take on Princeton and Asuza Pacific in Walnut, Calif. Recaps of each of the matches can be found below:
No. 4 Arizona State 16, Iona 3
The Arizona State University water polo team bounced back quickly from a loss to top-ranked UCLA on Saturday as the team easily handled competition against the Iona Gaels less than 24 hours later with a 16-3 victory.
Senior Alicia Brightwell and freshman Anna Kertes each netted hat tricks (the twelfth and seventh, respectively, on the season for each) while goalkeeper Ianeta Hutchinson had a dominating effort with 14 saves as the no. 4 Sun Devils (17-3, 2-1 MPSF) were never challenged.
For ASU, the goal total matched the 10th-highest tally in a neutral site game in school history and 10 different Sun Devils found the back of the net over the course of the game. Hutchinson held the Gaels scoreless through the first half as the team jumped to a 6-0 lead and didn’t allow the first goal until there was 2:36 left in the third quarter.
The Sun Devils will face the host Pomona-Pitzer in the afternoon cap of the three-team round robin.
SCORING: ASU: 3-3-4-6 IONA: 0-0-2-1
GOALS ASU: Brightwell 3, Kertes 3, Salloum 2, White 2, Haas, Carter, Gao, Leech, Fowler, Kreek
IONA: Leonard 2, Turza
SAVES: ASU: Hutchinson 14
IONA: Gaynor 3
No. 4 Arizona State 21, Pomona-Pitzer 6 Freshman center Petra Pardi had five goals and the Arizona State University water polo team rolled to a 21-6 victory against Pomona-Pitzer to cap off the team’s three-game weekend in California.
Mariam Salloum added four goals and Alicia Brightwell and Shannon Haas had three a piece as the Sun Devils (18-3, 2-1 MPSF) tallied their highest goal total in a true road game in school history by four goals.
Nine Sun Devils found the back of the net against the Sagehens with five scoring on multiple occasions.
Ianetta Hutchinson had 10 saves from the cage and ASU outscored Pomona 11-2 in the second half on the way to the rout. With her four goals, Salloum moved to fifth all-time on ASU’s goals scored list with 120 career goals.
ASU will have just a day of rest before returning to the pool for another doubleheader and a rare Tuesday matchup as the team will take on Princeton and Asuza Pacific in Walnut, Calif., before returning home for a big home game against #3 USC on Saturday.
SCORING: ASU: 4-6-5-6 PP: 2-2-2-0
GOALS ASU: Pardi 5, Salloum 4, Brightwell 3, Haas 3, Gao 2, Young, Kertes, Carter, Kreek PP: Westcott 2, Prather-Fahey 2, Woodward, Henshall
SAVES: ASU: Hutchinson 10 PP: Tuggy 7