SD Prep Sports: College water polo

www.geocities.com/sdprepsports

E-mail us at sdprepsports@aol.com

Home   Swimming/Diving   Cross Country  Track & Field   Roller Hockey   Water Polo   CIF Scorecard

Santana alum helps set the Pace for SDSU women’s water polo team

Posted Jan. 28, 2008
The SDSU women’s water polo team is coming off an unprecedented performance in 2007 that included a four-place finish at the NCAA championships and a school-record 29 wins. Head coach Carin Crawford admits the loss of three impact seniors will hamper her team’s design of returning to the NCAA tournament but said she feels confident the Aztecs’ large junior class is ready to stand up and be counted.

Among those Crawford is counting on this season to step up in a leadership role is junior Jessica Pace, a 2005 graduate of Santana High School.

“She’s definitely contending for a starting spot,” Crawford said in regard to Pace, an all-league performer with the Sultans. “Even if she doesn’t start, she’ll be our first player off the bench. She’s one of our best defenders. She’s one of our best shooters. We’ve impressed on her that she needs to be more offensive. She’s definitely talented. She can play at this level.”

Pace, one of 11 returning letter-winners for the 2008 Aztecs, saw action in 35 of the team’s 39 games last season (29-10) but started just once. In those 35 games, she totaled eight goals, 12 assists and 23 steals in a support role.

“I wanted to stay in San Diego. I basically called Carin and said I really wanted to come here,” Pace said. “I’ve been here ever since. It’s been a great decision.”

This will be Pace’s third year on the team. She said she played more of a utility role in high school but feels comfortable playing more of a set role. “When I get in the water, I’m a driver,” she said.

Pace said the lure of returning to the NCAA tournament hangs like a giant carrot in front of her. Little motivation is needed, she said.

The Aztecs enter this season ranked sixth in the nation.

“(Last year) was the first time we had every gone to the NCAA tournament. It was a lot of fun,” Pace said. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of good team chemistry to get back to that level. We had three seniors who were important reasons why we got that far last year. But we have a lot of new impact freshmen and a large junior class this year.”

The 2008 SDSU squad is led by junior All-Americans Anna Gonzales and Jenna Schuster along with fellow junior Erinn Greenwood and senior Becca Ur.

Gonzales had an outstanding sophomore season with 80 goals, 33 assists and 55 steals while Schuster racked up 84 goals to rank third-best all-time in the program for most goals in one season.

Greenwood totaled 45 goals, 45 assists and 44 steals last season while Ur contributed 28 goals, nine assists and 36 steals.

The Aztecs jump-started the season with last Saturday’s alumni game at the school’s new aquatics complex adjacent to Tony Gwynn Stadium. The varsity won this year’s battle by an 8-5 score as four players each scored two goals: Schuster, Ur, Tiphanie Elliot and Jamie Vessey.

It was the first time in seven years that the varsity pulled out a win, according to Kelly Falcone, a former standout at Vista High School and subsequent coach at Bonita Vista High School and Southwestern and Palomar colleges.

“I’m really mad because we didn’t win this year,” said Falcone, who played two years for the Aztecs (2000-01).

Considering that the alumni roster included four-time All-American Holly Hartzell (2001-04), three-time All-American Larisa Baltgavis (1997-2000), two-time All-American Rachel Serna (2003-06), 2004 All-Mountain Pacific Sports Conference goalie Ashley Zabel, 2003 All-American Amber Prestegard, 2007 All-American Stacy Werner and Megan Dunbar-Bernard, the school’s all-time record-holder with 268 career steals, the showing by this year’s SDSU squad just might be something to build on.

The Aztecs officially open regular season play with a Feb. 7 non-conference game against No. 10-ranked Hartwick College. Start time is 2 p.m. at the Aztec Aquaplex.

“Obviously, it’s our goal to prove that last year wasn’t a one-time deal,” Crawford said. “It’s a tall order to match last year. We set the school record for wins. I don’t think it’s that far out of reach. We have the core of our team back. We lost three awesome leaders. They all brought that will to win. But it’s my 10th year here. I’ve experienced the ascension of new leaders before and I think with our large class of experienced sophomores from last year that we’ll have plenty of leaders this year.”