No. 1 UC Irvine Completes Four-Peat, Downs No. 2 UC Davis For Big West Crown
Junior attacker Jessy Cardey scored four goals en route to tournament MVP honors, leading sixth-ranked and top-seeded UC Irvine to a 10-5 victory over UC Davis in the Big West Conference championship game at Schaal Aquatics Center Sunday afternoon.
Additionally, Cal State Northridge won the third-place contest over UC Santa Barbara by a 6-5 final, while Long Beach State beat Pacific, 9-3, in the fifth-place game earlier in the day.
The Anteaters advance to the NCAA Championship, hosted by San Diego State on May 11-13. This is the fourth year the Big West Conference has sponsored women's water polo. UCI has won all four championships.
Cardey's four goals helped UC Irvine run out to an early lead against the 10th-ranked and second-seeded host in Sunday's afternoon title game. Senior Katie Croghan and sophomore Hillary Estrada each had two goals in support of the tournament MVP.
Juniors Jessica Dunn and Carmen Eggert each had two goals for the Aggies. Senior Kaylee Queipo-Miller added UC Davis' fifth goal.
The Anteaters opened with four unanswered during the first five minutes of play. Cardey had two of those scores, hitting a shot from the three position at the 5:05 mark then collecting an assist from Michaela Pierandozzi with 2:52 to go. UC Davis finally got on the board with 1:09 left in the first period when Ariel Feeney drew a five-meter foul and Dunn converted the penalty shot.
As in the opening frame, the lone Aggie goal in the second quarter came on a five-meter penalty. Senior Dakotah Mohr drew the foul and Eggert hit the ensuing shot. However, UC Irvine shot 4-for-7 in the second to build its halftime lead to 8-2.
Dunn connected on a bar-in shot from outside then assisted Dunn on a 6-on-5 attempt on the strong side to allow the Aggies to cut the lead to 8-4 through the third. However, UC Davis never approached closer than that four-goal margin. Estrada planted an outside shot as the possession clock wound down to open the fourth and Cardey finished a counterattack at 2:58 to put the 'Eaters in double digits.
The Aggies shot just 5-for-27 in the contest while the Anteaters managed 10-for-24.
About The Tournament
Date
Date
|
Event
|
Time |
Story |
Media |
| April 27 |
First Round |
|
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| |
No. 4 Cal State Northridge 7, vs. No. 5 Long Beach State 5 (OT) |
3:30 p.m. |
RECAP |
@BigWestWWP |
| |
No. 3 UC Santa Barbara 9, vs. No. 6 Pacific 5 |
5:15 p.m. |
RECAP |
@BigWestWWP |
| April 28 |
Semifinals |
|
|
|
| |
No. 1 UC Irvine 8, vs. No. 4 Cal State Northridge 3 |
2:30 p.m. |
RECAP |
@BigWestWWP |
| |
No. 2 UC Davis 7, vs. No. 3 UC Santa Barbara 5 |
4:15 p.m. |
RECAP |
@BigWestWWP |
| April 29 |
Finals |
|
|
|
| |
No. 5 Long Beach State 9, vs. No. 6 Pacific 3 |
10:30 a.m. |
RECAP |
@BigWestWWP |
| |
No. 3 UC Santa Barbara 5, vs. No. 4 Cal State Northridge 6 |
12:15 p.m. |
RECAP |
@BigWestWWP |
| |
No. 1 UC Irvine 10, vs. No. 2 UC Davis 5 |
2:00 p.m. |
RECAP |
@BigWestWWP |
