April 23, 2010
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Junior driver Caitlin Haskell scored three goals to lead 16th-ranked and fourth-seeded UC Irvine to a 9-3 win over 17th-ranked and fifth-seeded UC Davis in the first round of the Big West Conference women's water polo tournament, held at Long Beach State's Campus Pool Friday.
The Aggies slip to 15-17 overall. The Anteaters improve to 13-14.
Sophomore Carey Faber, freshman Jessica Dunn and freshman Carmen Eggert each scored one goal for UC Davis. Dunn hit hers in the first minute of the game to give the Aggies an early 1-0 lead, Faber connected in the opening minute of the second quarter to close UCI's lead to 3-2, and Eggert converted a 6-on-5 chance with 5:02 left in the third period.
Anteater senior Kat Plummer scored two goals in the second quarter to push her team to a 5-2 lead at the halftime break. Haskell hit her first goal of the game soon after the intermission to extend the UCI lead to 6-2, then added two goals in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory.
Senior Casey Hines tallied nine saves in defense of the Aggie cage, while her counterpart Morgan Vickers recorded nine stops for the 'Eaters.
UC Davis moves to Sunday's fifth-place game, in which the Aggies will take on the loser of the UC Santa Barbara-Long Beach State game at noon.
BIG WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS - FIRST ROUND
| #17 UC Davis (15-17) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | 3 |
| #16 UC Irvine (13-14) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 9 |
GOALS - UC Davis: Jessica Dunn, Carey Faber 1, Carmen Eggert 1. UCI: Caitlin Haskell 3, Kat Plummer 2, Erin Kiene 2, Katie Croghan 1, Jessy Cardey 1.
GOALIES - UC Davis: Casey Hines 9 saves, 9 goals against (32:00). UCI: Morgan Vickers 9 saves, 3 goals against (32:00).
