Split Sunday for Hoosiers at Aztec Invitational

Sunday, March 12

San Diego, CA

11 AM

Indiana University

UC San Diego

Split Sunday for Hoosiers at Aztec Invitational

3/12/2017 10:23:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

Box Score vs. UCSD Box Score vs. SDSU

Indiana completes Triton sweep before overtime action with Aztecs

SAN DIEGO – The Indiana water polo team has played through the bulk of their six-game Spring Break slate with Sunday's completion of the Aztec Invitational. The second leg provided another pair of split results for the Hoosiers (13-4), who put on a defensive display in a 6-3 win over No. 16 UC San Diego (9-12) before falling in sudden victory, 9-8, to No. 17 San Diego State (8-7).

The latter of the two games was an absolute stunner, but saw the Hoosiers emerge on the wrong end of a one-goal game for the second time in the weekend. Kelly Matthews led all Hoosiers with five goals between the two games, scoring four against the Aztecs.

Game 16: Indiana 6, UC San Diego 3
UCSD: 2 – 0 – 0 – 1
IU: 1 – 1 – 2 – 2
Indiana Goals: Kozokar (2), Nacouzi (1), Matthews (1), Beadle (1), Powell (1)
UCSD Goals: Schilling (2), Boyer (1)
Gaudreault: 11 saves, 2 steals

The Hoosiers faced pressure to validate last weekend's result, a 7-6 win over UC San Diego at the Harvard Invitational, in their Sunday morning repeat. Indiana utilized a steadfast defense to widen the margin, this time taking a 6-3 victory.

Indiana amassed an early comeback of sorts after trailing 2-1 at the end of the first. In that quarter, Joelle Nacouzi kept the Hoosiers close with a goal midway through the first quarter, sparking a 5-0 run that extended to the midpoint of the fourth quarter. Matthews dropped the only goal of the second quarter, while Karrie Kozokar and Jennifer Beadle netted goals for a 4-2 lead after three.

Kozokar's second came midway through the fourth to seemingly put the game out of reach, but the Tritons answered with Chanel Schilling's power play goal to pull within two scores. Freshman Emily Powell removed all doubt with a late goal, the first of her career.

Jessica Gaudreault championed the defensive effort with 11 saves and 2 steals from the cage. Matthews completed a signature stat-stuffing performance with three steals, three assists, and a field block.

Game 17: San Diego State 9, Indiana 8 (SV Overtime)
SDSU: 3 – 2 – 2 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 1
IU: 2 – 2 – 2 – 1 – 0 – 1 – 0
Indiana Goals: Matthews (4), Nacouzi (1), Williams (1), Myers (1), Beadle (1)
SDSU Goals: Diacono (3), Israels (2), Magro (1), Bilz (1), Benekou (1), Carrillo (1)
Gaudreault: 9 saves

Water polo games between Indiana and the collegiate duo from San Diego are almost certain to provide a gripping game, but this installment of the Hoosiers-Aztecs series became the thrill of the weekend. The game came down to sudden victory, where Hannah Carillo and the Aztecs took a 9-8 result with the game-winner.

In the last three seasons, Matthews' high scoring outputs have become a mainstay of highly competitive Indiana games. The junior once again delivered a stunning four-goal showing for her sixth hat trick of the year.

Nacouzi and Williams began the scoring tally for Indiana, bookending a pair of Aztec goals to knot the count at 2-2. The Aztecs took a lead with 37 seconds left in the first quarter, a lead they wouldn't relinquish until the closing seconds of regulation.

Although they didn't regain the lead, Matthews and the Hoosiers kept it close throughout the contest. Matthews got on the board with all four of IU's goals in the second and third quarters, going point-for-point with San Diego State.

Still trailing by one, the Hoosiers needed a tying goal in the final quarter. That arrived with three minutes left in regulation, when Sarah Myers cracked the ledger at an opportune moment. Jennifer Beadle scored in the second overtime frame to tie the game at 8-8 and force sudden victory.

Gaudreault made 9 saves and faced 26 Aztec shots in the extended shift. Myers and Nacouzi added pressure with three steals apiece.

Up Next: No. 13 Indiana (13-4) vs. No. 1 Southern California (19-0)
Fri., March 17 @ 12 a.m. ET / Thurs., March 16 @ 6 p.m. HT
No. 13 Indiana (13-4) vs. No. 8 Hawaii (9-8)
Sat., March 18 @ 11:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. HT
Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex • Honolulu, Hawaii

The scriptwriters will have a field day with Indiana's next two games. Both games will be set in a rare scene for the Hoosiers, taking place in Hawaii's home pool. The first will be against unbeaten, top-ranked Southern California, who would break the NCAA Women's Water Polo winning streak record (46) with a win over Indiana.

The second game will call back Indiana's highest-ranked win of the season, their upset over then-fifth ranked Hawaii at the UCSB Winter Invitational. It's a chance to double down on the season encounters, but the Wahine bring a new challenge with their home crowd.

As this next week is Spring Break at Indiana University, the Hoosiers will stay out west for their two-game weekend at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Keep your Twitter and Instagram feeds fixated on @IUWaterPolo and the hashtag #IUWP for live updates.