April 27, 2012

STANFORD, CALIF. - It took extra time to determine the fourth semifinal team in the 2012 MPSF Championship at Avery Aquatic Center, as No. 5-seed California scored the lone goal of overtime to claim the 13-12 decision over No. 4-seed Arizona State. Golden Bear junior Dana Ochsner fired home her fourth goal of the match to the near post with 1:31 remaining in the second overtime session to lift Cal to victory.

The goal capped a wild game in which four players posted hat tricks and 25 total goals were scored. The Sun Devils fought back from a 10-7 deficit late in the third period to tie the contest up at 11, and then once more at 12. However, the go-ahead goal eluded the Sun Devils all day. ASU was led by three goals each from Alicia Brightwell and Kelsey White.

Besides Ochsner's game-winner and four goals, senior Elizabeth McLaren also had four goals, while junior Breda Vosters and sophomore Ashley Young added two goals apiece. Junior Taylor Dodson also scored for the Bears, and junior goalie Lindsay Dorst finished with eight saves.

Cal's victory over ASU avenged an earlier loss to the Sun Devils, 10-7, March 10 in Tempe. The Bears improved to 18-7 and the Sun Devils dropped to 23-6.

Cal next faces No. 1-ranked and host Stanford on Saturday, April 28 at 2:30 p.m. at Avery Aquatics Center. The Cardinal had defeated Hawaii, 13-3, in another first round match. The Bears have fallen to their Bay Area rivals twice this season, 13-5, Feb. 26 in the semifinals of the UC Irvine Invitational; and, 11-5, April 14 in an MPSF match at Stanford.

In the other MPSF Tournament contests, UCLA defeated San Diego State, 9-5, and USC defeated San Jose State, 8-1.

Last season, Richard Corso's squad had captured the 2011 MPSF Tournament and ended the year finishing as the national runners-up after falling to Stanford, 9-5, in the NCAA finals.

California - 3 4 3 2 0-1 = 13

Arizona State - 3 3 3 3 0-0 = 12

California Goal Scorers - Elizabeth McLaren 4, Dana Ochsner 4, Breda Vosters 2, Ashley Young 2, Taylor Dodson

Arizona State Goal Scorers - Brightwell 3, White 3, Kertes 2, Salloum 2, Carter, Gao

Goalie Saves: - Lindsay Dorst 8 (C); Hutchinson 5 (ASU)