TEMPE, Ariz. --- Seventh-ranked UC Irvine women's water polo picked up a big victory to open their 2022 season downing the fourth-ranked hosts of the ASU Cross Conference Challenge, Arizona State, 11-10 Friday afternoon at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.
A match riddled with penalty shots and plenty of scoring was decided by defense late. The 'Eaters (1-0) clamped down allowing one fourth-quarter goal with help from four
Faith Tedesco saves including denying a tying goal with 10 seconds left to secure the victory.
UCI's offense was led by
Tara Prentice and her five goals on the day in her first action since 2020.
Piper Smith scored twice as did freshman
Kennedy East which included the decisive goal in the final two minutes.
The win was UC Irvine's first-ever at Arizona State making its fourth trip there all-time. The Sun Devils began the season ranked fourth nationally, but lost earlier in the day to No. 10 Fresno State and then again to the 'Eaters. UCI is now 13-21 all-time against ASU.
Inside The Numbers
First Quarter
- The match's first four possessions featured three goals, all from the penalty spot, with Prentice starting things off at 7:28 in the first and ASU firing back with goals at 7:04 and 6:29
- ASU's lead grew to 3-1 with 2:43 left in the period, but Prentice scored a minute later to make it 3-2
Second Quarter
- UCI surged ahead 4-3 with the first two goals of the second period from a Prentice penalty shot at 6:48 and Piper Smith completing the counter from Jessica Lynch at 6:16.
- The Sun Devils punched back with goals at 5:03 and 2:58 to take a brief lead, 5-4
- The 'Eaters finished strong with goals from Prentice at 1:38 and Bockstahler at 0:51 to take the 6-5 lead into the half
Third Quarter
- Each team traded goals throughout the period starting with ASU tying things 59 seconds into the frame
- UCI scored three times thanks to Elena Flynn at 5:24, Kennedy East with a lob shot at 4:21, and Piper Smith at 1:56
- The Sun Devils countered each time scoring 31 seconds after Flynn, 1:24 after East, and with 36 seconds to go in the period to send the match into the fourth quarter tied, 9-9.
Fourth Quarter
- The period started with no scoring for the first five possessions until Prentice stepped up for the 10-9 lead on a penalty shot at 5:36.
- Tedesco and the defense stood tall on three straight possessions saving two and forcing a shot on the power play wide for nearly two minutes
- UCI missed on multiple opportunities to extend the lead, and ASU made them pay with a goal with 1:57 left to tie it, 10-10
- Kennedy East responded after a timeout with a skip-shot score for the eventual game-winner with 1:38 to go making it 11-10
- The final three possessions of the match were defended well by either side including Tedesco's stop near post with 10 seconds left denying Stevi Griffin and locking down the win.
Match Notes
- The 'Eaters shot 37.9% on the game narrowly edging ASU at 37.0%
- The teams combined to earn and convert on six penalty shots - four for UC Irvine and two to Arizona State
- The teams combined to scored three times on 16 exclusions
- UCI won three of four sprints to open each quarter with wins by Toni Shackelford, Kili Skibby, and Piper Smith
- Four different Sun Devils led their squad with two goals apiece
- In head coach Dan Klatt's 18th season with the squad, UCI is now 14-4 in season openers
- The 'Eaters are now 4-3 in those matches against MPSF opponents and 1-1 when opening against the Sun Devils
Challenge Accepted
The weekend continues on with two matches on Saturday for the 'Eaters. The square off with No. 10 Fresno State at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time with both sides 1-0 on Friday. The day concludes with another 12:30 p.m. matchup against No. 8 Michigan who lost its Friday match, 12-8, to No. 5 Cal.
