Feb. 12, 2012

Game 3 Box Score
Game 4 Box Score

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- The 12th-ranked LMU women's water polo team ended the 2012 UC San Diego Triton Invitational in fourth place, dropping a pair of one-goal decisions to two of the nation's top-10 on Sunday at the Canyonview Aquatic Center on Sunday.

The Lions fell in the tournament semifinal, 10-9, to sixth-ranked Arizona State, then fell to eighth-ranked San Diego State in the consolation final, 8-7, to end the tournament. Arizona State and San Diego State have a combined record of 21-1 on the season. The Lions fall to 4-4 on the year.

In the semifinal, the Lions fell down early as Arizona State jumped out to a 3-0 lead early and then led 4-1 after the first period. Morgan Bonk continued her scoring ways with the Lions lone goal in the period.

The teams then traded goals in the second quarter, with Erin Manke scoring with 2:11 to play to make the score 5-2 heading into halftime.

Kimberly Benedetti then made it 5-3 on the Lions' first possession, scoring on a 6-on-5 goal. However, Arizona State stretch the lead to 7-3 with back-to-back goals.

LMU would get them back on back-to-back goals from Benedetti and Alexandra Honny. Arizona State would end the third with key goal with just 52 seconds remaining to map it 8-5.

Arizona State would get the lead to 10-7 with 3:10 to play.

LMU wouldn't go away, as Honny added her second goal with 1:35 to play and then on the next possession would score again to make it 10-9 with 49 seconds to play. The Lions would get the ball back with 12 seconds to play but couldn't get the equalizer.

The third place game was tight from start to finish, with the 6-on-5 playing a big role in the physical affair.

The Lions would take a 3-1 lead on goals from Honny, Manke and Jessica Morelos. San Diego State would cut the lead to one to end the first and then tie it with a 5-meter penalty goal to start the second.

Defense would dominate the second until Benedetti scored with 1:56 to play in the first half, giving LMU a 4-3 lead at the break.

Just like they did to start the second, San Diego State started the third with a specialty goal, this time scoring on a 6-on-5 in the first 20 seconds of the second half to tie the game.

The Lions would answer right back with a 6-on-5 of their own at the six minute mark on a goal from Mackenzie Beck. San Diego State would tie it on another 5-meter goal and then take a 6-5 lead into the fourth quarter.

The lead for the Aztecs would stretch to 7-5 on another 6-on-5 goal to start the quarter.

But the Lions would not go away again. Benedetti eco:=red on a 6-on-5 with 2:51 to play to make it 7-6, and then Casey Flacks tied it with 2:28 to play.

San Diego State wasted no time for the winner, scoring on the next possession with 2:02 to play to win it.

The Lions will play their home opener on Saturday, Feb. 18 when they host No. 7 UC Irvine at the Burns Aquatics Center at 11 a.m. UC Irvine finished second in the Triton Invitational, falling to Arizona State 8-4 in the championship.