Feb. 5, 2008
SAN DIEGO -
Complete Release in PDF Format 
NO 6. SDSU WATER POLO OPENS 2008 CAMPAIGN THIS WEEK
The sixth-ranked San Diego State women's water polo team will kick off its 2008 campaign with a busy schedule this week, playing host to No. 10 Hartwick College on Thursday, Feb. 7, beginning at 2 p.m. PT at the Aztec Aquaplex. Two days later, SDSU will travel across town to compete in the UCSD Triton Invitational, Feb. 9-10, in La Jolla, Calif.
SDSU will open the tournament with pool play on Saturday, squaring off against No. 20 Maryland at 9 a.m. PT at the Canyonview East Pool on the campus of UC San Diego. The Aztecs and Terrapins are joined in Group A by 18th-ranked Cal State Northridge and No. 19 Santa Clara. If San Diego State defeats Maryland, it will face the winner of the Northridge-Santa Clara game, starting at 3:30 p.m. If the Aztecs stumble, they will take on the loser of that same contest at 2 p.m.
SDSU is the highest-ranked team in the Triton Invitational, which also includes UC Davis (8th), UC Irvine (9th), Hartwick (10th), Loyola Marymount (12th), Long Beach State (13th), host school UCSD (t-15th) and UC Santa Barbara (17th).
A LOOK AT HARTWICK
Hartwick (0-2) opened its season with a pair of games in Irvine, Calif., last Saturday, falling to both UC Irvine and USC. The Hawks scored the final two goals of the contest against the Anteaters, but it wasn't enough as UCI hung on for the 6-4 win. In its second match of the day, Hartwick was unable to overcome the offensive firepower of second-ranked USC, losing by a 16-3 count. On the day, the Hawks were led by returning All-American Kirsten Hudson, who scored a team-leading three goals, while Jessica Dorman recorded 22 saves in her collegiate debut.
This will mark the second consecutive season that SDSU will face Hartwick in its season opener. Last year, the Aztecs were able to pull out a 9-8 victory at the Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center in San Diego.
Following Thursday's game at the Aztec Aquaplex, Hartwick will join SDSU in the 16-team Triton Invitational over the weekend.
LET'S MAKE IT SEVEN
San Diego State has experienced great success in season-opening games, posting a 10-3 record since women's water polo achieved varsity status in 1995. The Aztecs sport a six-game winning streak in season openers, with four of the last five coming at the UCSD Invitational. SDSU's only opening day losses came in 1995, 2000 and 2001.
BREAKING DOWN THE TERPS
Maryland has yet to play a game this season, with its 2008 schedule commencing on Saturday against SDSU. The Terps, who enter their fifth year as a varsity sport, return two seniors and 10 juniors from a squad that posted a 16-18 record last year. Maryland will rely on its top three goal-scorers from 2007 in Shannon Simerly (58), Elizabeth Hopkins (57) and Rachel Jordan (46). Also returning are goalkeepers Ashleigh Jobson and Anna Gossett, who recorded 107 and 51 saves, respectively.
AZTECS IN THE TRITON INVITATIONAL
This is the 13th season in which the Aztecs will participate in the UCSD Invitational. In the previous 12 years, SDSU has compiled a 30-23 overall record in the annual event. The Aztecs have reached the championship game on three occasions, but have not been able to claim the title as they dropped an 8-6 decision to Loyola Marymount in 2007, suffered an 8-3 defeat at the hands of Long Beach State in 2004 and fell 12-4 to UCLA in 1996.
Last year, SDSU posted a 3-1 record en route to its second-place performance. The Aztecs opened group play with a pair of victories over Bucknell and UC Santa Barbara, before downing UC Davis, 8-4, in the semifinals. SDSU was unable to get over the final hump, however, as it suffered an 8-6 upset at the hands of Loyola Marymount.
BACK IN THE MIX
The Aztecs welcome back 11 letterwinners, with nine playing in more than 30 games, from a 2007 squad that finished with a program and conference best 29 victories en route to SDSU's first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA championships, where the team finished fourth. Leading the way in 2008 will be the junior duo of returning All-Americans Jenna Schuster and Anna Gonzales. Schuster concluded last season with a team-best 84 goals and also added 50 steals, while Gonzales recorded 80 goals, 55 steals and 33 assists. The Aztecs will also look to junior Erinn Greenwood (45 goals) for offensive production. Another key player in SDSU's success this season will be senior co-captain Becca Ur (28 goals, 36 steals).
SDSU IN THE POLLS
San Diego State earned a No. 6 ranking in the National Collegiate Women's Top 20 Poll released Jan. 30, by the Collegiate Water Polo Association. This marks the second straight year SDSU has been ranked No. 6 to start the season. In each of the last five campaigns, the Aztecs have gone into their first game of the year ranked inside the top 10.
CAREER RECORD WATCH
After just two seasons on The Mesa, junior Jenna Schuster is tied for 10th on SDSU's all-time charts with 108 goals, while classmate Anna Gonzales is not far behind with 104 scores to her credit. Also, ranking among the top 10 in career assists are Gonzales (7th; 64) and junior Erinn Greenwood (10th; 56).
CRAWFORD AT THE CONTROLS
Head coach Carin Crawford enters her 10th year at the helm of the San Diego State women's water polo team. In each of her nine seasons on Montezuma Mesa, SDSU has never finished below 11th place in the final national rankings. In 2007, Crawford led the Aztecs into the national spotlight with a fourth-place finish in SDSU's first-ever appearance at the NCAA championships. During her tenure, the Aztecs have garnered 14 All-America awards and claimed all-MPSF accolades on 15 occasions. Crawford's players have also earned 31 all-MPSF academic awards, as well as 27 AWPCA all-academic honors.
