May 1, 2016
Bakersfield, Calif.----- San Jose State University senior Rae Lekness set a single-season school and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) career scoring records as the Spartans lost to Arizona State University, 12-5, in the conference tournament's fifth-place match.
The senior from Calgary, Alberta scored three goals in her final college contest to finish with 294 goals in her career and 98 for the season. Her MPSF record-breaking goal occurred on a San Jose State power-play at 4:32 of the second quarter to close a deficit to 4-2. Two more Arizona State (19-6) before halftime put the Sun Devils in control and en route to their third win of the season against San Jose State.
"It's nice to have a bit of a legacy. Personal records are funny to me, because it (a record) is not a personal thing," said Lekness, who also is the MPSF scoring leader this season and will become the first conference player to finish among the top-five scorers for four consecutive seasons. "I've had great teammates, had lots of people help me who were confident enough in me to pass the ball."
Lekness would be one of three players in the match to finish with a game-high three goals. She added the final two scores of the contest in a 34-second span late in the fourth quarter to break a short-lived tie with her former teammate Clara Espar Llaquet who scored 96 goals in 2014 for the new Spartan single-season scoring mark.
Daisy Carter, who scored three times against San Jose State in the Sun Devils' April 9 win over the Spartans, and Katie Svercheck each had three goals for Arizona State. The Sun Devils also avenged last year's MPSF Tournament fifth-place loss to the Spartans.
"Arizona State played well. Their defense was solid and their goalie was on," said San Jose State head coach Johnny Bega. "We didn't give up. It was tough to come back after being down 6-2 (at halftime)."
Freshman Carla Toha Vilanova and senior co-captain Kelli Leabo also scored for San Jose State. Toha Vilanova ended her year as the MPSF's top freshman scorer and second on the Spartans in scoring with 53 goals. Leabo went out with a single-season career best 32 scores.
Goalkeeper Tayler Peters was credited with six saves for the Spartans. Arizona State starting goalkeeper Mia Rycraw stopped 15 Spartan shots in 3.5 quarters of action.
"We made a lot of mistakes (today) we don't normally make, but I'm proud of our team. We have a lot to build on. And, congratulations to Rae (for her records) and congratulations to our seniors (Rae Lekness, Kelli Leabo and Brittany Krappe," concluded the Spartans coach.
San Jose State University women's water polo
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament
Hillman Aquatic Complex, Bakersfield, Calif.
May 1, 2016
| 5th place match | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| San Jose State (18-15) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Arizona State (19-6) | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 13 |
Goal Scoring
San Jose State -- Rae Lekness, 3; Carla Toha Vilanova, Kelli Leabo, 1, each.
Arizona State -- Katie Sverchek, Daisy Carter, 3, each; Ao Gao, 2; Rosemary Huck, Katie Casas, Maud Koopman, Lena Mihailovic, 1, each.
Goalkeeper Saves
San Jose State -- Tayler Peters, 6.
Arizona State -- Mia Rycraw (29 minutes), 15; Taylor Barrett, 2.
Ejections
San Jose State -- 8.
Arizona State -- 6.