April 28, 2007

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -

Game Scoresheet in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Junior attacker Christi Raycraft scored a game-tying goal with just 47 seconds remaining in regulation, then junior Madeline Stephenson hit the game-winner in the opening minute of overtime to vault top-seeded UC Davis to a 7-6 win over fourth-seed UC San Diego in the second of two dramatic semifinals at the Western Water Polo Association Championships at UC Santa Cruz's East Fieldhouse Aquatics Center Saturday.

The Aggies, ranked ninth in Wednesday's National Collegiate Top 20 poll, improve to 25-6 for the year. The Tritons dip to 18-14 overall.

Raycraft led UC Davis with two goals. She scored on a five-meter penalty shot early in the third period to help the Aggies erase a 3-2 halftime deficit. Then she scored the equalizier after a minor foul just outside the five-meter area, forcing the overtime period.

Sarah Bajorek and Natalie Hockett each had two goals for UCSD. Bajorek's second goal was a penalty shot with 7:36 remaining in the fourth, giving the Tritons a 6-5 lead. Goalie Kim Hockett helped protect that edge for the next seven minutes, posting seven of her 17 saves in that quarter.

A minute after Stephenson scored the go-ahead in the first three-minute overtime stanza, she was charged with a major foul, giving UCSD its only substantial opportunity to re-tie the game. However, Aggie senior goalkeeper Amber Korner posted one of her 11 saves against the 6-on-5 chance.

Juniors Casie Mota and Mary Lowe, senior Cassie Schaefer and freshman Heidi Kucera each had goals in the win.

The Aggie win was the second of two near-upsets in Saturday's semifinal action. In the opposite semi, No. 2 seed Loyola Marymount overcame a 4-1 fourth-quarter deficit to claim a 5-4 win over Santa Clara. Lion senior Katie Hicks converted a 6-on-5 chance with 2:37 left in the game, then senior Dora Szabolsci hit the game-winner with 13 ticks remaining to lift her team to the victory.

UC Davis will face Loyola Marymount in Sunday's title game at 3 p.m. The winner of that contest earns a berth to the NCAA Championships in Los Alamitos in two weeks.

GOALS - UCSD: Natalie Hockett 2, Sarah Bajorek 2, Britta Nordstrom 1, Sydney Gstettenbauer 1. UC Davis: Christi Raycraft 2, Casie Mota 1, Mary Lowe 1, Heidi Kucera 1, Cassie Schaefer 1, Madeline Stephenson 1.

GOALIES - UCSD: Kim Hockett 17 saves, 7 goals against (38:00). UC Davis: Amber Korner 11, 6 goals against (38:00).