April 6, 2002
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara University women's water polo team fell to 17th-ranked UC Irvine by an 8-6 score this afternoon at the Leavey Pool. The loss moved the Broncos to 18-12 on the season, while the Anteaters improve to 8-17 overall.
Freshman Katy Shumm scored three goals to lead the Broncos, while junior Kelley Mays added two. Junior Becky Hong added one tally.
"We played much better this afternoon than in our first game," Bronco head coach Steve Hanson said. "We controlled the pace of the game and matched their intensity for most of the match, but we still had some moments that UCI was able to take advantage of. The three-goal deficit we put ourselves in to start the game was the difference."
UCI's Michelle Carey scored two quick goals while teammate Lauren Volcan added a third as the Anteaters opened an early lead. They extended it to 4-0 before Mays could put the Broncos on the scoreboard with 26 seconds remaining in the quarter.
A turnaround score by Shumm pulled the Broncos within two early in the second frame, and strong defensive plays by netminder Anne Ginotti improved SCU's intensity. Chelsea Culton lobbed the ball over Ginotti to give Irvine a 5-2 halftime edge.
On the power play, Bronco Elizabeth Glotzbach fired a long-range shot that ricocheted off the post, but Hong was there to collected the ball and score to move the Broncos again to within two.
Irvine's Erica Horman countered on the next man-up possession while teammate Rebecca Wedemeyer added UCI's seventh goal of the afternoon to pull her team ahead by four. Santa Clara reduced that advantage by one when Mays scored on the fast break, beating the keeper to the low right.
Shumm scored twice in the fourth quarter, the first a long distance shot and the second on the power play, but Horman was able to draw Ginotti out during one possession and then score in the open net for the final 8-6 margin.
Ginotti finished with 12 saves for the Broncos.
"Our team played really well together today and was looking for one another," Hanson said. "We're going to keep working on some things and be ready for the final stretch of our season strong in the coming weeks."
Santa Clara closes a five-match home series next weekend at the Leavey Pool with a contest against CS San Bernardino. The April 13 match is scheduled for a noon start.
