April 26, 2003

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. --- Three Tritons each scored a pair of goals to lead UC San Diego to a 6-5 win over UC Davis in the semifinal game of the women's Western Water Polo Association tournament at Cal St. Bakersfield Saturday.

The loss snaps an eight-game winning streak for the second-seeded Aggies, who fall to 19-11 on the season. The third-seeded Tritons improve to 23-13 for the year. The winner of the WWPA tournament receives an automatic berth in the third annual National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championships in May.

This is the second straight year in which UC San Diego ended UC Davis' hopes for a NCAA tournament berth by a single goal. Furthermore, it is the third consecutive year the Aggies have lost the national berth by one goal -- Loyola Marymount edged UC Davis, 7-6, in the 2001 WWPA title game.

Junior driver Alli Johnstone scored three goals for the Aggies, while teammate Brittany Russell added two. Kelsey Whalen recorded two saves in the UC Davis cage.

Dana Tucker, Elizabeth Keesey and Meris Bantilan-Smith each posted two goals for UCSD. Triton goalie Kaitlyn Foe -- who coincidentally played for Aggie assistant coach Doug Wright at Davis High -- had eight saves in net. The Tritons did most of their damage in the second quarter, piling up three goals to take a 4-1 halftime advantage.

UC Davis will face Cal St. Bakersfield in the WWPA third-place game on Sunday. UCSD will meet top-seeded Loyola Marymount in the tournament final.

 

UC San Diego (23-13)	1	3	1	1	-	6
UC Davis (19-11)	1	0	2	2	-	5

GOALS - UCSD: Dana Tucker 2, Elizabeth Keesey 2, Meris Bantilan-Smith 2. UC Davis: Alli Johnstone 3, Brittany Russell 2.

GOALIES - UCSD: Kaitlyn Foe 8 saves, 5 goals against (28:00). UC Davis: Kelsey Whalen 2 saves, 6 goals against (28:00).

UC Davis Aggies Women's Water Polo

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