San Diego State uses fast start to make fourth straight trip to GCC title game.
GCC UPDATE LINKS: Box Score • 2017 GCC Championships • 2017 Tournament Bracket • 2017 GCC ON THE FOSH
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Top-seeded San Diego State used a fast start to earn a 13-7 victory over fourth-seeded Azusa Pacific in the second semifinal round of the 2017 Golden Coast Conference Women's Championship at Sullivan Aquatic Center in Santa Clara.
SDSU (18-13) set the tone early with a Hannah Carrillo (SO/San Diego, CA) goal 35 seconds into the game and later tacked on three more first-quarter goals to take a 4-0 lead. They would hold a 6-2 lead at halftime and continued to click on cylinders in the second half when they opened the third period on a 5-0 run to make it 11-2. They would cruise the rest of the way to reach their fourth straight GCC title game.
Caroline Israels (SR/Pompano Beach, FL), the GCC Player of the Year, led the Aztecs with six goals and four steals. Mar Pastor Alvarez (SO/Barcelona, Spain) led APU with three goals.
The win sets up a showdown between the top two seeds in the GCC field and is a rematch of last year's title game. San Diego State comes into the championship having won all four regular-season titles and last season's tournament crown. Pacific, however, was the coaches' preseason pick to win the regular season. Earlier this year, the Aztecs and Tigers were tied at 5-5 entering the fourth quarter with UOP taking a 6-5 lead with 4:41 to play. SDSU, however, answered with three goals in a matter of 1:22 to take an 8-6 lead. Pacific added a final goal with 41 seconds left as the Aztecs emerged with the 8-7 decision.
Azusa Pacific will face LMU in the third place game. The third place game is at noon and the championship will be at 1:30 pm. Every game will feature a live broadcast and live stats from THE FOSH. All links can be found at TOURNAMENT CENTRAL on GCCWaterPolo.com.