March 19, 2016
San Jose State University senior Rae Lekness scored a match-high five goals in two matches as the #11-ranked Spartans completed a two-day, four-match sweep at the ZUMO LMU Invitational women's water polo tournament.
Unlike opening day when San Jose State (13-10) needed three sudden-victory periods and nine total stanzas to defeat host #14-ranked Loyola Marymount, the Spartans dispatched #25-ranked Cal State Northridge, 13-8, and unranked Azusa Pacific, 10-4, in regulation four-quarter contests.
"We subbed a lot today. It was 6-for-6, 4-for-4 and 3-for-3. The substituting definitely helped us in the second half (of each game). We knew it (endurance) would be a factor today," said San Jose State head coach Johnny Bega. "We played a lot of players and there was a lot of nice play from players off the bench."
Lekness, the Spartans' top scorer, finished the weekend with three five-goal performances and 17 overall scores in the four victories. She raised her season total to 69, tops, too, in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). In the morning victory over Cal State Northridge, she moved into sixth place on the MPSF career list and heads back to San Jose with 265 career goals.
"We played well. Our team play is coming on. We starting to hit our stride defensively and if we balance it out with scoring, we'll be fine," added the Spartans coach who was pleased his team yielded just four second-half goals in the wins over Cal State Northridge and Azusa Pacific. For the tournament, San Jose State allowed just 12 goals after intermission.
Sophomore Tayler Peters, who allowed six goals in two quarters of goalkeeping in the opening-day victory over Whittier, bounced back with a career-high 15 saves against Cal State Northridge. She shared the goalkeeping duties with freshman Alicia Magliocco in the Azusa Pacific triumph and was credited with six stops. Magliocco added six saves in the second half against Azusa Pacific.
Co-captains Kelli Leabo and Cara Robinson joined Lekness on the scoresheet in both wins with three goals each. They scored a pair apiece against Cal State Northridge and once against Azusa Pacific.
The Spartans return to action, Saturday, March 26, hosting #1-ranked and undefeated University of Southern California (14-0) at the Aquatics Center in a MPSF contest at 1:00 p.m.
ZUMO LMU Invitational women's water polo tournament
Burns Aquatics Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
March 19, 2016
| Game 11 - Score by Quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| San Jose State (13-10) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Azusa Pacific (7-16) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
Goal Scoring
San Jose State -- Rae Lekness, 5; Klaudia Paradi, 2; Kelli Leabo, Cara Robinson, Sheila Jensen, 1, each.
Azusa Pacific -- Britt Harris, 2; Megan Myers, Mar Pastor, 1, each.
Goalkeeper Saves
San Jose State -- Tayler Peters (2 quarters), 5; Alicia Magliocco (2 quarters), 6.
Azusa Pacific -- Katie Margot, 12.
Ejections
San Jose State -- 9.
Azusa Pacific -- 10.
| Game 8 - Score by Quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| San Jose State (12-10) | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 13 |
| Cal State Northridge (7-14) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Goal Scoring
San Jose State -- Rae Lekness, 5; Kelli Leabo, Cara Robinson, Carla Toha Vilanova, Donia Momen, 2, each.
Cal State Northridge -- Amy Yule, 3; Madeleine Sanchez, Shannon Hovanesian, 2, each; McKenzie Pollei.
Goalkeeper Saves
San Jose State -- Tayler Peters, 15.
Cal State Northridge -- Natalie Averell, 5.
Ejections
San Jose State -- 6.
Cal State Northridge -- 5.