Feb. 14, 2009

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The No. 6 California women's water polo team earned its first conference win with a 9-4 victory over No. 7 San Jose State on Saturday afternoon at SJSU's Aquatics Center. Cal had four unanswered goals to finalize the win. Three different Golden Bears -- Meghan Corso, Emily Csikos and Camille Hewko -- had two goals. Cal remains perfect at 13-0 overall and now 1-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation while San Jose State falls to 7-5 overall and an even 1-1 in conference play.

The contest featured a scoreless first period. California finally opened the scoring at the 7:02 mark of the second period, with Hewko finding the target straight on from about eight yards out. Junior Stephanie Schnugg extended the advantage less than a minute later at 6:24, tapping a pass inside from the left from Hewko, into the cage to the far corner.

A short time later, Csikos' first goal of the day came at the 44-second mark. Spartan senior Juliet Moss put her side on the board exactly 10 seconds later with a shot into the right corner from about 10 yards.

Coming out of the halftime break down by the score of 3-1, the Spartans earned a penalty shot just 39 seconds in, with Curran converting to bring SJSU within one, 3-2. At 6:45, however, Corso banged her shot off the right post and in, for 4-2, and at 3:57, junior Julie Oreglia took a cross-pool pass from the left from Csikos and scored for a 5-2 Cal lead.

The Spartans scored two more goals in the third period, and none in the final period, while the Bears scored three more in the final period to take the game, 9-4.

Cal goalie Stephanie Peckham played all 32 minutes in the cage for their respective sides.

Next up, Cal travels South for the UC Irvine Invitational on Feb. 21 and 22.

Score by period
No. 6 Cal	0	3	3	3	9
No. 7 SJSU	0	1	3	0	4

California goals: Emily Csikos 2, Meghan Corso 2, Camille Hewko 2, Julie Oreglia, Libby McLaren, Stephanie Schnugg
SJSU goals - Dani Curran, Kathryn Hannum, Adriana Vogt, Juliet Moss.