Old conference opponents squared off in a battle worthy of a rivalry renewed as the Long Beach State women’s water polo team came up just short in a 5-4 loss to No. 9 San Diego State Sunday at the Campus Pool.
The 12th-ranked 49ers struggled out of the gate in their home opener, falling behind 3-0 before staging a comeback that simply ran out of time.
Chelsea Parks and Justine Morgan scored two goals apiece. Kelly Ringel made 12 saves for The Beach.
LBSU struggled with its execution in the first half, allowing three 6-on-5 man advantages to go by the wayside.
Head coach Gavin Arroyo thought the 49ers started the game tight.
“I think we were a little gun shy,” Arroyo said. “I think that cost us not getting into our rhythm.”
The Aztecs (3-0) drew first blood with a low-post goal from Alyssa Diacono 61 seconds after the opening sprint. San Diego State did not strike again until 6:17 into the second quarter. Taelor Moreno released an 8-meter shot with one second on the shot clock. Ringel got a piece of the shot, but the ball trickled across the goal line to double the Aztec lead.
SDSU continued to threaten on the offensive end late in the second quarter. The 49ers spotted the Aztecs a pair of penalty shots on consecutive possessions.
LBSU caught a break when Caroline Israels’ five-meter attempt went off the left post, but Anique Hermann converted her penalty shot with 12 seconds remaining in the half to extend the Aztec lead to three.
“In the first half, we were our own worst enemy,” Morgan said of the slow start. “It should have been us coming out strong and trying to play our own game. You can’t really leave games up to the last couple of seconds.”
The Beach made the most of the remaining seconds, as Morgan unleashed a cross-cage laser that went off the post and in as time expired.
Parks cut the 49ers deficit in half with a goal midway through the third quarter. LBSU’s defense (led by Morgan’s three steals) teamed to halt the Aztec’s transition attack, as The Beach shutout SDSU in the third quarter.
The 49ers were unable to pull even before the Aztecs struck again. Moreno scored from the top of an umbrella formation, and Carina Carballo beat Ringel short-side 89 seconds later to make in 5-2.
LBSU rallied, as Parks and Morgan scored 32 seconds apart to bring the The Beach back within one point.
The ‘Niners carried their momentum down the stretch, narrowly missing out on tying the game. Coriann Snyder nailed the crossbar with 1:34 remaining, and Hillary Veselik’s backhanded spin-o-rama went off the left post.
“Our girls didn’t roll over, so that was a good sign,” Arroyo said of the comeback attempt. “You keep anyone to five goals, you should be able to win the game.”
The 49ers have drawn Big West rival UC Davis in the opening round of the Triton Invitational in San Diego this Saturday. Game time is set for 9:50 a.m.