March 30, 2008
TEMPE, Ariz. - The No. 7 Arizona State University water polo team finished the weekend with a 4-0 record at the ASU Invitational Sunday as the Sun Devils, winners of six in a row for the second time this season, defeated No. 19 UC San Diego, 8-4, at the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center in Tempe. The victory, which was fueled by solid defense from Caylinn Wallace and a record-breaking goal from Addison McGrath, raised the Sun Devils' record to 17-9 on the year.
McGrath scored twice in the game to bring her season total to 64, the most in a single season in ASU history and one more than the previous total of 63 set by Rowie Webster in 2006. McGrath also raised her point total to 97 on the year, the most in program history and nine more than the previous mark she set last year at 88.
Kelly Phelps scored twice while Lauren Hayes, Katy Lawlor, Bonnie Miles and Amanda Stepp each scored once. Traci Aparicio, Katy Lawlor, Stepp and Nikki Unbehaun each added an assist in the game.
Defensively, Wallace, who recorded the 1,000th save of her career in the first game of the day, stopped nine shots to give her 268 on the year, the most in a single season. Wallace set the standard last year with 263 saves. Her defensive presence helped the Sun Devils limit opponents to an average of five goals per game on the weekend while leading the team to its second, six-game winning streak of 2008 following wins in the second through seventh contests of the year.
Head Coach Todd Clapper, who won the 150th game of his career earlier in the day, has guided the team to a 17-9 record, which is the most wins the team has produced in his tenure after 15 victories in 2006 and 14 in 2007. The win total is currently the second-most in a season for the Sun Devils, trailing only the 20-18 record the 2003 team posted. The Sun Devils have four more regular season games this year as well as several MPSF Championship games at the end of the season.
ASU returns to the road next Saturday for one MPSF game as the team will face No. 18 UC Santa Barbara at noon in Santa Barbara, Calif.
#19 UC San Diego at #7 Arizona State
Tempe, Ariz. • ASU Invitational
CSD - 0 - 0 - 2 - 2 = 4
ASU - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 = 8
ASU Goals - McGrath 2, Phelps 2, Hayes, Lawlor, Miles, Stepp
ASU Saves - Wallace 9
