April 25, 2008

Official Scoresheet in PDF Format

LOS ANGELES -- Senior center Laura Uribe scored a game-high three goals, including one that broke a 4-4 tie in the third quarter, to lead UC Davis to an 11-6 win over Cal State Monterey Bay on the first day of the Western Water Polo Association women's tournament Friday evening at Burns Recreation & Aquatic Center.

The Aggies, the tournament's top seed and ranked in a tie for ninth in the latest National Collegiate Top 20 poll, improves to 24-8 overall. The Otters fall to 17-12 for the year. UC Davis advances to the semifinal and will face fifth-seeded Santa Clara, which scored a 7-3 win over Cal State Bakersfield earlier Friday.

Junior Lindsay Kiyama added two goals in the win for the Aggies, while sophomore Casey Hines posted eight saves in net. Junior Cookie Cuzynski led CSUMB with two goals. Otter goalie Jenna Beer recorded 15 total saves, six in the third quarter.

UC Davis never trailed in the contest, but was unable to extend its lead beyond one goal for the first 21 minutes of play. After Aggie senior Ashley Greenwood put her team up by a 4-3 margin early in the third, CSUMB senior Stephanie Salvi quickly responded with the equalizer at the 4:26 mark. UC Davis earned a 6-on-5 opportunity with two minutes left in the third, then Uribe punched in the goal not longer after the advantage time expired to put the Aggies up, 5-4.

Uribe scored on another extra-man opportunity in the final minute of the period to extend the lead to 6-4 at the 0:31 mark, then Cuzysnki trimmed the lead back to one with a goal at 0:15. Aggie senior Mary Lowe hit a buzzer-beater to push her team's lead back to two goals entering the fourth.

UC Davis scored four goals in the fourth while holding off two Otter 6-on-5 chances to pull away to victory.

The Aggies face Santa Clara in the second of two semifinals at 4 p.m. Saturday. Loyola Marymount and UC San Diego will square off in the opposite semi. The winners of those two games advance to Sunday's 4 p.m. championship game.

GOALS - CSUMB: Cookie Cuzynski 2, Nikki Smart 1, Chelsea Laning 1, Stephanie Salvi 1, Erin Lee 1. UC Davis: Laura Uribe 3, Lindsay Kiyama 2, Ashley Chandler 1, Christi Raycraft 1, Ashley Greenwood 1, Mary Lowe 1, Casie Mota 1, Emily Kitchens 1.

GOALIE SAVES - CSUMB: Jenna Beer 15 (32:00). UC Davis: Casey Hines 8 (32:00).