May 13, 2006

DAVIS, Calif. - Junior Katherine O'Rourke led UC Davis with three goals as they defeated Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 13-4 on Saturday afternoon in the consolation round game of the 2006 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship being held through Sunday at UC Davis' very own Schaal Aquatics Center. The win advances the Aggies to the tournament's fifth place game which will be played at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday against Hartwick.

With the win the Aggie season record is lifted to 21-12. No. 8 seeded Claremont-Mudd-Scripps falls to 15-11. No. 5 seeded UC Davis fell into the consolation bracket after dropping its opening round match to No. 4 seed Hawaii, 12-7on Friday evening.

O'Rourke was the first to score for UC Davis with a bar-down shot scored in the first possession of the game. Annie Richardson fired back for the Athenas following an Aggie exclusion to tie the score with five minutes and 22 seconds on the clock. O'Rourke added her second goal of the game shortly thereafter when she found herself open in front of the cage on a six-on-five opportunity. With 29 seconds left on the quarter, Casie Mota scored off of a pass from Cassie Schaefer on a fast-break counter attack to bring the UC Davis lead to 3-1 at the end of the first quarter.

Early in the second quarter, Ashley Greenwood helped continue the Aggie onslaught with a goal out of center scored at five minutes and 43 seconds. Jessica Soza and Mary Lowe each added one apiece before O'Rourke tallied her third goal, giving her a hat trick on the game. Tarrin Petersen added the lone goal for the Athenas for the quarter, bringing the score to 7-2 at the end of the first half.

Petersen added her second goal of the game early in the third period with a six-on-five conversion. Christi Raycraft fired back with a goal out of center which was followed by back-to-back goals from Schaefer. Soza added the final UC Davis goal of the quarter with a high corner shot scored from the top to put the score at 11-3. The Athenas' Kendall Snyder finished out the quarter with a man-up goal, the last goal Claremont-Mudd- Scripps put away in the game.

The Aggies finished the game with two more goals in the fourth quarter provided by Nicole Fisher and Casie Mota. The final score was 13-4 in favor of UC Davis.

"My biggest concern for today's game was the short turn around time from last night's game, which was very physical and emotional. Our energy at the very beginning of the game was a little off our typical level, but I think we picked it up at the beginning of the second quarter," said head coach Jamey Wright of the win.

"We didn't come out with the same intensity as last night. But I felt like we were playing well; we we're connecting and making good assists," said O'Rourke of the Aggie effort.

UC Davis 13, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 4

                       1      2     3      4    FinalUC Davis               3      4     4      2      13Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 1      1     2      0       4

UC Davis Goals: Katherine O'Rourke 3, Cassie Schaefer 2, Jessica Soza 2, Casie Mota 2, Ashley Greenwood 1, Nicole Fisher 1, Mary Lowe 1, Christi Raycraft 1.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps: Tarrin Petersen 2, Nicole Snyder 1, Annie Richardson 1.

UC Davis Goalie Saves: Amber Korner 5, Lina Moore 4.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Goalie Saves: Kerry Henley 3.