Jan. 23, 2015
Santa Barbara, Calif.----- The San José State University women's water polo team improved to 6-0 with a pair of victories on the first day of the UCSB Winter Invite.
The #7-ranked Spartans dispatched unranked Cal Baptist, 18-8, and outlasted #11-ranked Cal State Northridge (0-2), 8-6.
"It was a solid day for us with two wins," said San José State head coach Johnny Bega. "The defense is really stepping up. We're keeping teams from scoring with Katelynn (Thompson) playing well in goal and Vicky (Smith) taking on the opposing team's best (offensive) player.
Junior Rae Lekness led the way in the Cal Baptist win scoring all of her game-high six goals in the first half. Smith also scored twice in the first quarter and three times in the contest as San Jose State led, 6-0, after four minutes and 12-2 at halftime.
Senior Timi Molnar, scoreless in the Cal Baptist match, led the Spartans in scoring with three goals in the Cal State Northridge victory.
Spartan goalkeeper Katelynn Thompson played the entire contest for just the second time in the early season and was credited with nine saves after stopping seven shots against Cal Baptist. Smith helped keep the Matadors' All-American Marisa Young, team-leading scorer in 2014, scoreless with her one-on-one defense in front of the goal.
Spartan sophomore Clara Espar Llaquet was able to extend her consecutive-match scoring streak to 39 over two seasons with four goals in the opener and one in the Cal State Northridge win.
The Spartans conclude their play in the UCSB Winter Invite with a doubleheader on Saturday, January 24. San Jose State takes on #17-Michigan (1-0) at 1:00 p.m. and #12-Long Beach State (0-0) at 6:50 p.m.
UCSB Winter Invite women's water polo tournament
Santa Barbara, Calif.
January 23, 2015
| Match 6 - score by quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #11-Cal State Northridge (0-2) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| #7-San Jose State (6-0) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
Goal Scoring
Cal State Northridge - Kelcie Ferreira, 2; MacKenzy Fowler, Emily Fuller, Taitum Herrington, Madeline Sanchez, 1, each.
San Jose State - Timi Molnar, 3; Bianca Seyfert, 2; Rae Lekness, Victoria Smith, Clara Espar Llaquet, 1, each.
Goalkeeper Saves
Cal State Northridge - Natalie Averell, 7.
San Jose State - Katelynn Thompson, 9.
Ejections
Cal State Northridge - 5.
San Jose State - 9.
| Match 2 - Score by quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cal Baptist (0-1) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| #7-San Jose State (5-0) | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
Goal Scoring
Cal Baptist - Paizlee Dryer, Hannah Evans, Jessica Castellano, 2, each; Mallory Montano, Courtney Menard, 1, each.
San Jose State - Rae Lekness, 6; Clara Espar Llaquet, 4; Victoria Smith, Bianca Seyfert, 3, each; Cara Robinson, Dani Styles, 1, each.
Goalkeeper Saves
Cal Baptist - Meghan Rowland, 6.
San Jose State - Katelynn Thompson, 7 (two quarters); Tayler Peters, 5 (two quarters).
Ejections
Cal Baptist - 8.
San Jose State - 9.