Berkeley, Calif.-- The sixth-ranked Arizona State water polo team upset No. 4 California, 7-6, Saturday afternoon at the Spieker Aquatics Complex. Saturday's win marked the second straight year that the Sun Devils defeated the Bears in the teams' regular season meeting, matching the score of last year's 6-7 victory in Tempe.
Both teams entered the weekend looking to separate themselves in MPSF play, with each team boasting a 1-1 record heading into the Saturday tilt.
The teams traded goals in the first quarter, as freshman Bente Rogge found the back of the cage twice to keep pace with the pair of goals from the Bears to send the game to the second quarter tied at two.
It was the Sun Devils who would pull ahead in the second, as Lena Mihailovic and Rosie Huck each added a goal to put ASU up by one heading to the halftime break. For Mihailovic, the first half goal was her 40th goal of the season.
Following the break, Cal came storming back, holding the Sun Devils to just one third quarter goal, while adding two of their own to even the score at five-all heading to the final quarter of regulation.
As the fourth quarter got underway, the Bears took the lead with a goal at the 6:39 mark, jumping out to a 6-5 lead. The Sun Devils, however, would not go quietly, as sophomore Maud Koopman tied the game at 6-6 with 5:39 left to play, before firing in the game winner just a minute later to seal the Sun Devil victory.
With the win, ASU improved to 2-1 in MPSF play and moved into fourth place in the league standings. UCLA holds the top spot with an unblemished 3-0 record. No. 1 USC checks in just behind the Bruins at 2-0, while No. 2 Stanford rounds out the top-three, also at 2-0 in league play.
The Sun Devils will be back in the pool next weekend, with a trip to No. 1 USC on April 1. Saturday's game is slated for a 12:30 p.m. start. Next weekend's contest is also scheduled to be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.
Both teams entered the weekend looking to separate themselves in MPSF play, with each team boasting a 1-1 record heading into the Saturday tilt.
The teams traded goals in the first quarter, as freshman Bente Rogge found the back of the cage twice to keep pace with the pair of goals from the Bears to send the game to the second quarter tied at two.
It was the Sun Devils who would pull ahead in the second, as Lena Mihailovic and Rosie Huck each added a goal to put ASU up by one heading to the halftime break. For Mihailovic, the first half goal was her 40th goal of the season.
Following the break, Cal came storming back, holding the Sun Devils to just one third quarter goal, while adding two of their own to even the score at five-all heading to the final quarter of regulation.
As the fourth quarter got underway, the Bears took the lead with a goal at the 6:39 mark, jumping out to a 6-5 lead. The Sun Devils, however, would not go quietly, as sophomore Maud Koopman tied the game at 6-6 with 5:39 left to play, before firing in the game winner just a minute later to seal the Sun Devil victory.
With the win, ASU improved to 2-1 in MPSF play and moved into fourth place in the league standings. UCLA holds the top spot with an unblemished 3-0 record. No. 1 USC checks in just behind the Bruins at 2-0, while No. 2 Stanford rounds out the top-three, also at 2-0 in league play.
The Sun Devils will be back in the pool next weekend, with a trip to No. 1 USC on April 1. Saturday's game is slated for a 12:30 p.m. start. Next weekend's contest is also scheduled to be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network.