By Isabella Dandoy (@DandoyIsabella) – Spear Reporter
SJSU women’s water polo (2-4) acquired its third loss in the CAL Cup, resulting in 8-12 against UC Davis (1-2).
Although the Aggies are coming off a 0-2 record, they were victorious against the Spartans in the 2022 CAL Cup.
The Spartans met a similar fate today because they were unable to keep up with Davis’s robust offense.
SJSU’s overall shooting percentage was 27.6% compared to Davis’s 38.7%. It averaged nine turnovers and failed to convert on power plays more than once.
The first quarter displayed a gritty SJSU offense that ended in a 4-3. Fifth-year Kylee Jansen, graduate student Clarissa Wandinger, senior Lior Ben David, and graduate student Olga Descalzi were all able to score a goal and get on the board.
Ben David had a stellar performance on both sides of the ball, scoring two goals and assisting her teammates 3 times. On the defensive end, Ben David accounted for two of the team’s eight steals.
Despite their powerful performance in the first quarter, they remained scoreless in the second quarter. The Spartans were inundated with six exclusion fouls and eight misfires.
The score was now 4-5, with SJSU trailing behind.
The third and fourth quarters belonged to UC Davis. However, SJSU refused to go down without a fight. Freshman Sinia Plotz and graduate student Hannah Henry retaliated with a goal apiece.
The game ended 8-12.
SJSU will face rival Fresno State to commence the CAL Cup later today at 2:00 p.m.