April 26, 2009
STOCKTON, Calif. - Senior attacker Lindsay Kiyama scored three goals to lead ninth-ranked UC Davis to a 10-6 win over No. 13 Cal State Northridge in the third-place game of the Big West Conference women's water polo championship tournament, held at Pacific's Chris Kjeldsen Pool Sunday.
The Aggies, seeded second in the tournament, finish the year at 23-10. This is the 11th straight season that UC Davis has eclipsed the 20-win barrier. The Matadors, top seed in the championship, end their season at 20-16.
Junior Ashley Chandler and freshman Kaylee Miller added two goals apiece for the Aggies, who never trailed in the game. Sofia Patronas, Rachelle Smith and Lauren Seidemann each scored one goal, while junior Casey Hines and senior Diana Pivacek split up goalkeeping chores for UC Davis. Hines had five saves in the first half, then Pivacek posted six in her career finale.
Juinor Kristin McLaughlin and freshman Whitney Delgado notched two goals each for CSUN, while goalkeeper Jillian Stapf provided nine blocks in defense of the Matador cage.
The Aggies stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first four minutes of play. Patronas converted a 6-on-5 chance at the 6:33 mark, Kiyama scored on a counterattack a minute later, then assisted Chandler for a two-meter goal at 4:11. McLaughlin broke the seal on the Aggie cage with her goal at 3:11, but Kiyama quickly responded by netting a goal from the left wing on the next possession.
The Matadors shut down UC Davis inside for much of the second period, collecting three steals at two meters. Meanwhile, Sydney Sonoda, Delgado and McLaughlin each scored to tie the game at 4-4 midway through the second period. Again, UC Davis answered back as Smith's shot went bar-in, ending an eight-minute scoring drought and putting the Aggies on top for good. Patronas assisted Chandler for a goal with 2:14 left in the second to send UC Davis into the break with a 6-4 lead.
CSUN junior Kirra Kylander converted a rare 6-on-4 chance for the only goal in the third period, but that proved to be the last Matador offense for the better part of nine minutes. Miller hit both of her goals in the span of 40 seconds in the fourth to help UC Davis pull away for the victory.
This is the inaugural season of women's water polo in the Big West Conference. UC Davis formerly played in the Western Water Polo Association, while the other five Big West teams were members of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
BIG WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP - THIRD-PLACE GAME
Chris Kjeldesn Pool, Pacific
| #9 UC Davis (23-10) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | - | 10 |
| #13 CS Northridge (20-16) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | 6 |
GOALS - UC Davis: Lindsay Kiyama 3, Ashley Chandler 2, Kaylee Miller 2, Sofia Patronas 1, Rachelle Smith 1, Lauren Seidemann 1. CSUN: Whitney Delgado 2, Kristin McLaughlin 2, Sydney Sonoda 1, Kirra Kylander 1.
GOALIE SAVES - UC Davis: Casey Hines 5 (16:00), Diana Pivacek 6 (16:00). CSUN: Jillian Stapf 9 (32:00).
