Davis, Calif.----- San Jose State University went on a 4-0 rally covering the late third and midway through the fourth quarter for a 12-9 season-opening non-conference women's water polo over #10-ranked UC Davis in the Aggie Invitational.
The win for the Spartans (1-0) was their first in 20 tries over a top-10 ranked team in the Collegiate Water Polo Association weekly coaches poll. San Jose State was winless against 13 top-10 opponents in 2018. Its last win against a top-10 team in a 9-7 overtime triumph against #9-UC Santa Barbara in the Barbara Kalbus Invitational.
"It was really cool to see. We worked for each other. It was a nice team effort. We never doubted ourselves," said San Jose State head coach Gabor Sarusi about a 23-player Spartan team with 11 freshmen and seven sophomores.
Michelle Taikeff, the only senior on this year's squad, scored a single-match career-high three goals and keyed the rally with match-tying goal at 8-8 on a power play with 2:16 remaining in the third quarter. She added her final goal of the match with an even strength score at 3:00 in the fourth for an 11-8 Spartan advantage.
Outside of the Spartans taking an early 2-0 lead on goals by sophomore Lili Urvari and newcomer Olga Descalzi, neither team had more than a one-goal lead until San Jose State went ahead 10-8 on a fourth-quarter score by Natalie Hosmer. It was Urvari's power play goal with 4:48 remaining that put the Spartans ahead to stay.
San Jose State had its power play working in the season opener. The Spartans were 6-of-12 with the player advantage.
"We looked pretty good with our power play. I was very happy with the way we converted our opportunities," said the Spartans head coach.
Taikeff and Sierra Painter, who missed the 2018 season due to injury, led the Spartans in scoring with three. Descalzi, a member of the 2018 Spanish Women's World Youth championship team, and Urvari poured in two goals each. Sophomores Natalie Hosmer and Tyanna Supreme scored insurance fourth-quarter goals to round out the scoring.
Freshman Hannah Henry was credited with four saves in her first start for the Spartans.
UC Davis (2-1) goalkeepers Caitlin Golding and Sophia Noble combined for seven saves.
San Jose State finished its season-opening day losing to #4-Cal, 20-5, in an exhibition match. Descalzi was the Spartans' scoring leader with three. Taikeff and Hosmer had one each.
Henry was credited with three saves in the first half. Freshman Anna Maria Luther played the second half and had one save.
The Spartans are back in the pool at the Cal Cup in Berkeley, Sunday, January 27 for a doubleheader. San Jose State opens with #11-Long Beach State at 11:00 a.m. and finishes with #2-Stanford at 2:15 p.m.
San Jose State University women's water polo
Aggie Invitational
Schaal Aquatics Complex, Davis, Calif.
January 19, 2019
| Score by Quarters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #20-San Jose State (1-0) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 12 |
| #10-UC Davis (2-1) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| Goal scoring |
| San Jose State - Michelle Taikeff, Sierra Painter, 3, each; Olga Descalzi, Lili Urvari, 2, each; Natalie Hosmer, Tyanna Supreme, 1, each. |
| UC Davis - Annie Kutt, Chloe Robinson, 3, each; Noelle Wijnbelt, 2; Marcela Portales, 1. |
| Goalkeeper Saves |
| San Jose State - Hannah Henry, 4. |
| UC Davis - Caitlin Golding (8 minutes) - 0; Sophia Noble (3 quarters) - 7. |
| Ejections |
| San Jose State - 12. |
| UC Davis - 14. |