March 25, 2011

FRESNO, Calif. - Junior center Alicia Began scored three goals while five other Aggies added two each, helping 15th-ranked UC Davis ride a 9-0 start to an 18-6 win over Fresno Pacific in non-conference collegiate women's water polo action at Sunnyside High School Friday evening.

The Aggies improve to 14-6 for the year. The Sunbirds fall to 6-15.

Besides Began's game-high output, Ariel Feeney, Dakotah Mohr, Becca Smith, Hannah Curran and Danelle Kenny each netted two goals to lead UC Davis to its highest goals total and widest margin of victory since a 20-7 win over Cal State Monterey Bay back in late January.

Jessica Dunn, Lyndsay Sutterley, Heidi Kucera, Rachelle Smith and Erin Schlueter also scored a goal, while senior Michelle Hook posted four assists. Becca Smith tallied three steals to her scoring total. Kucera had two assists, two steals and a drawn exclusion for the day.

Mohr and Feeney scored the entirety of their goals in the first 2:36 of play to set the Aggies to an immediate 4-0 lead. Dunn hit her lone goal less than a minute later to extend the edge to five. UC Davis piled up nine unanswered goals by the end of the first period - its highest total for a quarter in 2011 - and held a 13-2 lead by the halftime break.

Friday's game serves as a prelude for the Aggies' action at the Roadrunner Invitational on Saturday. UC Davis opens with host Cal State Bakersfield at 8 a.m. then takes on Pomona-Pitzer for an 11:15 contest later that morning. The Sagehens are ranked fifth in Wednesday's Division III coaches' poll.

GOALS - UC Davis: Alicia Began 3, Ariel Feeney 2, Dakotah Mohr 2, Danelle Kenny 2, Becca Smith 2, Hannah Curran 2, Jessica Dunn 1, Lyndsay Sutterley 1, Heidi Kucera 1, Erin Schlueter 1, Rachelle Smith 1. FPU: not available.

GOALIE SAVES - UC Davis: Riane Woods 2 saves, 2 goals against (16:00); Rachel Tatusko 0 saves 4 goals against (16:00).