(La Jolla, CA) In the opening game of the Triton Invitational, No. 14 Sun Devil Water Polo battled from three goals down against No. 9 UC San Diego and prevailed behind Millie Quin’s game-winner with one second left to give Arizona State a 12-11 victory and alumna Petra Pardi‘s second career win against a top-10 opponent Friday evening in La Jolla, California.
The Sun Devils outscored the Triton 6-2 in the final 10:16 of game-time to complete the upset, led by Millie Quin’s career-high six goals, who netted the final two goals for ASU to snatch the victory. Luca Petovary made an impact with her fourth consecutive game with at least three goals, and reaching 150 career goals in the maroon & gold, becoming the ninth Sun Devil to reach the mark. Sophomore Sanne Keijzer tallied 12 saves in the contest, earning her the win.
Freshman Jasmijn Dikmans scored twice in the victory and found the back of the net for the fourth straight game, and was credited with two assists in the win. Alba Olivé Martí had a goal for the fifth straight game. The win marks the first victory for the Sun Devils when trailing at halftime, after going 1-11 the year before. It’s the first time the Sun Devils have started 5-0 since the 2021 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Both teams traded goals in the opening two minutes of the game, as Millie Quin put the Sun Devils on the board with 6:19 in the opening period. Jasmijn Dikmans added another goal in the first quarter to tie the game at two heading into the second quarter.
The Tritons’ added a third goal early in the second quarter, but less than a minute passed as Petovary scored her first goal of the day to tie the game at 3.
Following another UC San Diego goal, ASU called a timeout where then Petovary added her second goal of the quarter to tie the game at four. UC San Diego scored twice before the end of the half with a 6-4 lead.
Millie Quin scored two quick goals for the Sun Devils to tie the game with 4:19 left in the third but the Tritons scored three unanswered goals until Quin found the back of the net to make it 9-7 with 36 seconds left in the third quarter.
Entering the final quarter down two, the Sun Devils tallied three quick goals by Petovary, Dikmans and Olivé-Martí to give ASU their first lead of the day. 10-9, but UC San Diego tied the game at 10-all with 4 minutes left.
Sophomore Millie Quin obtained her fifth goal of the game with 2:36 left, giving ASU an 11-10 lead but the Tritons tied the contest at 11 at the 1:02 mark forcing a Sun Devil timeout. After each side made critical stops, the New Zealand native scored her sixth goal of the day with a second left giving the Sun Devils an emphatic 12-11 victory.
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils will continue to compete at the Triton Invitational next weekend. ASU will play against No. 3 UCLA at 11:40 A.M AZT, and their second game will be announced concluding their game against the Bruins. Coverage can be seen on the Sun Devil Water Polo social channels all weekend.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Zach Wargo
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