CSUN Drops Close Battles with LMU, San Jose State

Saturday, February 24

Irvine, CA

10:30 a.m.

California State University at Northridge

#11 Loyola Marymount

Photo by: Paul Trafecanty

CSUN Drops Close Battles with LMU, San Jose State

2/24/2018 10:02:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

IRVINE, Calif.---No. 19 CSUN Water Polo dropped a pair of tough decisions on day two of the Barbara Kalbus Invitational at UC Irvine on Saturday. No. 11 Loyola Marymount defeated CSUN 9-5 in the morning match and the Matadors fell by a 9-8 margin to No. 18 San Jose State in the late afternoon. Senior Madeleine Sanchez continued to climb the all-time Matadors' career scoring list with three goals against the Spartans while Shannon Hovanesian tallied three goals of her own on the day. Eight different Matadors collected at least one goal between the two matches. Freshman Emma Pfister picked up five saves in each contest.

Now at 18 goals for the season, Sanchez moved into fourth place on the Matadors' all-time Top 10 list with 193 career goals. Sanchez needs just 30 more goals to become the school's all-time career scoring leader.

Loyola Marymount Recap:

The Lions led from start-to-finish on Saturday but the Matadors kept the match close throughout. Kiana Harpstrite put the Lions on the scoreboard early in the opening minute of the contest. After a CSUN ejection was called, LMU doubled its lead off a score from Daniela Hernandez. The Lions would take a three-goal lead before Paula Abellan Garcia hit the net at the 2:52 mark.

Harpstrite gave LMU a 4-1 lead in the second quarter but the Matadors closed the first half in strong fashion. Emma Franck struck first at the 1:18 mark, and Hovanesian got the Matadors closer with a goal just 41 seconds later. CSUN withstood three LMU power plays in the eight-minute session to go into the break trailing 4-3.

The third quarter would be a tough one for the Matadors as the Lions tallied the only two goals of the period. Hana Vilanova found the net via a power play to push the lead to 5-3. After CSUN came up empty on two power plays, Harpstrite notched her second goal of the match at the 2:28 mark of the quarter.

Both Jennalyn Barthels and Hovanesian recorded goals in the fourth quarter but the Lions would not let the Matadors get any closer than three goals. Harpstrite earned the hat trick in the fourth period while Morgan Molloy and Annika Armstrong each registered goals.

In front of the cage, Pfister saw action in three periods, and Nathalie Brewster came on in the fourth, picking up a save. Elyse Koe had two steals with an assist while Katelyn Fairchild posted an assist, steal and field block.

CSUN – 1-2-0-2 = 5
LMU – 3-1-2-3 = 9

CSUN goal scorers: Hovanesian 2 (13), Abellan Garcia (12), Barthels (3), Franck (2)
LMU goal scorers: Harpstrite 3, Vilanova 3, Hernandez, Molloy, Armstrong,

CSUN saves: Pfister 5 (48), Brewster (21)
LMU saves: Wright 8

San Jose State Recap:

In a low-scoring first quarter, Guara Garcia Delgado scored the only goal at the 4:05 mark. CSUN earned a pair of power play chances but was unable to covert in the period. The Matadors would even the match in the second quarter behind a goal from Madasonne Butler. Sanchez gave CSUN a 2-1 lead near the end of the period on a power play but the Spartans responded with a goal from Kathryn Elgin at the buzzer.

San Jose State briefly took a 3-2 lead in the opening minute of the third period, however Hovanesian squared the match once more just 17 seconds later. Elgin scored a again, this time via a power play, to put the Spartans ahead once more. After the Spartans built a 5-3 lead, Sanchez would strike for her second goal of the day. The Spartan lead stretched back to two (6-4) on a strike from Lily Urvari.

Shelia Jensen, who scored twice in the third quarter, collected the hat trick in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 7-4. The Matadors mounted one final rally in the period, beginning with a goal from Fairchild. Franck brought CSUN a goal closer at the 4:44 mark with her first tally in the match. A minute later, Sanchez evened the match on a power play. The Matadors kept the Spartans off the scoreboard for over six minutes in the quarter but San Jose State's Delgado tossed in the go-ahead goal with 1:10 remaining. The Matadors had a last look at the net but were unable to hit the equalizer in the final seconds.

Sanchez added three assists to her stat line with two steals. Franck and Koe also had two steals in the contest. Pfister saw action for all 32 minutes as she also collected a steal.

CSUN – 0-2-2-3 = 7
SJSU – 1-1-4-2 = 8

CSUN goal scorers: Sanchez 3 (18), Fairchild (20), Hovanesian (14), Butler (8), Franck (3)
SJSU goal scorers: Jensen 3, Elgin 2, Delgado 2, Urvari

CSUN saves: Pfister 5 (53)
SJSU saves: Peters 5

The Matadors conclude their stay at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational on Sunday against No. 14 San Diego State at 9 a.m.