March 21, 2007

Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific women's water polo team fell to 5-15 on the season after dropping a 12-7 decision to the visiting Maryland Terrapins (10-12) on Wednesday, March 21st at Chris Kjeldsen Pool.

Pacific stormed out of the gates to take a 1-0 lead as junior Kellie Fletcher (Roseville, Calif.) found the back of the cage 3:40 into the first period of play. The Terrapins responded with two goals to round out the period, as Allie Houseal scored a 6-on-5 goal and Rachel Jordan connected on a goal to make the score 2-1 Maryland after one period of play.

It took just :38 seconds for the Tigers to come back in the second period to tie the score as freshman Sarah Harris (Cape Town, South Africa) scored to pull the score back even at 2-2. Maryland followed with a 3-0 run as Jordan found the back of the cage twice and Blaise Stanicic added a goal to give the Terrapins a 5-2 lead with 5:29 remaining. The Tigers then pulled back to within two with a five-meter penalty drawn by freshman Alex Kutac (Houston, Texas) which was converted by Harris to account for the halftime margin of 5-3.

After intermission the Terrapins scored four of the next five goals to extend their lead to 9-4 as Fletcher scored the lone Tiger goal of the run, her second of the game. Pacific then cut the margin to five as Harris connected on her second five-meter penalty shot of the game, which was again drawn by Kutac, to make the score 9-5 with :34 seconds left in the third. Elizabeth Hopkins then scored on the ensuing Maryland possession to push the lead back to five at 10-5 heading into the fourth period.

After a Maryland goal to start the fourth made the score 11-5, junior Annika Aspen (Carpinteria, Calif.) scored her second career goal, and first of the season, on a 6-on-5 power play to pull Pacific back to within five. Following a Maryland 6-on-5 goal that made the score 12-6, Fletcher connected on her third goal of the game as time expired to account for the final score of 12-7.

Harris and Fletcher both ended the game with three goals to pace Pacific, while junior 'keeper Jocelyn Gray (Strathmore, Alberta, Canada) added 11 blocks in the Pacific cage.

Maryland was led by Jordan, who had five goals on the day.

The Tigers are next in action on Saturday, March 31st as they host MPSF rival San Jose State at Chris Kjeldsen Pool. Opening sprint is scheduled for noon.

Pacific: 1-2-2-2 = 7
Maryland: 2-3-5-2 = 12

Goals:
Pacific: Fletcher 3 (44, 45, 46), Harris 3 (69, 70, 71), Aspen (1)
Maryland: Jordan 5, Stanicic 2, Ferenczy, Hopkins, Houseal, Klein, Vagts

Blocks: Gray (PAC) 11, Jobson (MARY) 3, Gossett (MARY) 1

Sprints: Hopkins (MARY) 2, Ferenczy (MARY), Safir (PAC)