March 8, 2008
IRVINE, Calif. - The No. 9 UC Irvine women's water polo team (10-7, 3-4) defeated No. 8 Arizona State 10-9 in the fourth overtime period Saturday afternoon in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
The Anteaters scored two goals in the opening minute of play as junior Sarah Frost put UCI up 2-0 at the 7:06 mark. The Sun Devils cut the lead to 2-1 10 seconds later as Addison McGrath converted a penalty throw with 6:56 left in the first period. The Sun Devils would then score four unanswered goals to take a 5-2 lead at halftime.
Sophomore Kat Plummer converted a penalty throw 42 seconds into the third period to cut the lead to 5-3. Senior Jessica Lewis scored to cut the lead to 5-4 less than a minute later at the 6:32 mark. Plummer then tied the match at 5-5 as she swam around a defender and found the back of the net with 4:52 left in the third. Junior Gianna Rossi put UCI back up 6-5 and Sarah Frost made it 7-5 on a breakaway lob shot over the keeper with 6:12 left in the fourth period. The Sun Devils answered with two goals to tie the match at 7-7 with 3:47 left. Kat Plummer put UCI up 8-7 on a backhand shot with 3:26 remaining. Kelly Phelps scored for ASU with 22 seconds left to tie the match at 8-8 and send the match to overtime.
Jessica Lewis scored with 1:19 left in the first overtime period to put UCI up 9-8. Lauren Hayes would tie the match at 9-9 with three seconds left in the second overtime period to send it to sudden death overtime. The two teams were unable to score in the first sudden death period sending it to a second sudden death period. Sarah Frost scored her third goal of the match of a steal to win the match 1:27 into the fourth overtime period.
Senior keeper Lauren Machanis had 12 saves for UCI. Keeper Caylinn Wallace had 15 saves for the Sun Devils.
The Anteaters return to action Thursday as they host No. 16 Indiana at 7:00 p.m. in non-conference play at Anteater Aquatics Complex.
