In a doubleheader, No. 22 San Diego State water polo was misplaced to No. 17 Long Beach State 7-6 and beat No. 24 Bucknell 12-8 on March 9 at the Aztec Aquaplex.
After the primary sport, head trainer Carin Crawford stated how the crew became capable of improving defensively.
“Our defense became higher,” Crawford said. “We had lots greater hustle and willingness to assist each other and crash again at center, so I became thrilled average. I felt that we had exact shielding stops.”
The Aztecs recorded their second consecutive 12-thieve sport. However, the home group could not convert to the strength play opportunities.
“A place for improvement might be our electricity play,” Crawford stated. “We have been 2-10, and if we should get to four-10 in a close recreation, 40 percent is quite desirable, and that would be a distinction maker in recreation like this.”
Defensively, junior driving force Maddy Parenteau had a game-high four steals.
“I idea Maddy (Parenteau) countered properly,” Crawford said. “She had stolen, and especially on the top of recreation when we were walking our press-to-thieve defense, she came up with key saves and shot the ball in this manner that we were given greater possessions.”
Parenteau stated SDSU’s defense was something they centered on extra inside the past few contests.
“We focused on defense greater than the beyond few video games,” Parenteau said. “I thought we did a genuinely correct activity. However, we didn’t place our photographs away.”
Senior captain Hannah Carrillo has furnished both offensive and shielding consistency.
“I attempt to make certain that I am making an effect in a few ways,” Carrillo stated. “If no longer scoring, then I can do different such things as gambling higher protection or getting assists for the group.”
Crawford said that Carrillo shows her guidance to the crew individually as a senior.
“Hannah is constantly that consistent performer for us, and I thought these days changed into no exceptional,” Crawford stated. “She’s proven her consistency and management as captain and what it approaches to play like a senior.”
In sport two, SDSU and Bucknell scored early, totaling 14 goals and giving the Scarlet and Black a—–point lead at halftime.
Crawford stated how the win turned into greater shielding-minded during the fit.
“I think it was a much-wished win,” Crawford said. “As the sport went on, our defense progressed.”
The defense appeared huge as senior goalkeeper Maura Cantoni saved nine desires from scoring Bucknell’s manner.
Cantoni stated the past four games helped the group focus together.
“For us, we’re looking to play as a team, regardless of what,” Cantoni said. “Sometimes the game isn’t going our way, but we ought to combat again; that’s something we’ve been suffering with, grinding out the harder games, ensuring we answer lower back every purpose and preserve our depth high.”
Offensively, four of the 12 SDSU dreams had been scored through freshman center Sydney Hurst.
“I am pleased with everybody,” Hurst said. “We’re extraordinarily unified, and we needed that closing sport, (especially) coming off first-rate tough losses to Long Beach and Azusa Pacific.”
The Aztecs still remember playing four organized groups, highlighted by using No. 1 Southern California, within the Barbara Kalbus Invitational in Irvine, Calf. A couple of weeks in the past.
Playing the four groups helped this group have the potential to play again to return to ranked teams.
Hurst stated how this win could assist the team in moving ahead.
“Good opposition is useful,” Hurst stated. “Playing towards players at or above our degree constantly united states of America or recreation and continues us dedicated to our center values– being unified and excessive.”
Overall, the Aztecs went 2-2 for the duration of the Aztec Invitational. Subsequently, the Aztecs live nationally and retain their eight-game homestand with No.—eight UC Irvine on March 15 and convention opponent Concordia the next day.
“It’s going to be a large week,” Crawford stated. “UCI is an excellent group. They are honestly rapid. It will undertake our swimming, counter-attack defense, and persistence on defense.”