Fresno State Athletics
Friday, May 12
Stockton, CA
4:00 p.m. PT
Fresno State
8
vs
12
No. 2 USC
Bulldogs season ends in NCAA quarterfinal
5/12/2023 6:35:00 PM | Water Polo
STOCKTON, Calif. - The Fresno State water polo team saw its 2023 season come to an end on Friday, falling 12-8 to No. 2 USC in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship. Fresno State ends the year with an 18-9 overall record (7-0 GCC). The Bulldogs were regular season and tournament champions of the Golden Coast Conference.
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Daphne Guevremont and Hailey Andress led Fresno State in scoring, netting three goals apiece. Kaitlin Howarth and Elisa Grim scored a goal each to round out scoring for the Bulldogs. In the cage, Paula Nieto Jasny logged 12 saves against the USC offense who fired off 33 shots.
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How it happened
USC struck first, but Guevremont responded in the next Bulldog possession to even the score at one with 6:35 on the clock in the opening period. The Trojans outscored Fresno State 5-2 in the first quarter, being the only quarter that the team's were separated by more than one goal in scoring. Guevremont scored both goals in the opening quarter.
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The teams tied 2-2 in the second quarter as Andress scored her first at the 6:29 mark, cutting the USC lead to two, 5-3. USC dished two more before Andress scored again. USC responded quickly with another shot to put the Trojans up 8-4, but Guevremont again answered on the following possession to make it an 8-5 score at the half.
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Just three goals were scored in the third quarter with USC having a 2-1 advantage there. USC had a breakaway attempt, but Nieto Jasny came up big with the save. Fresno State would call a timeout to regroup, and on its following possession, Andress logged a cross-pool assist to Grim for the Bulldogs' lone goal of the quarter with 1:10 left on the clock.
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The teams tied in scoring again in the final quarter, 2-2. Howarth opened up scoring for the 'Dogs, netting one in on a deep shot. Andress scored for her hat trick with 1:09 left in the game.
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Notable
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Daphne Guevremont and Hailey Andress led Fresno State in scoring, netting three goals apiece. Kaitlin Howarth and Elisa Grim scored a goal each to round out scoring for the Bulldogs. In the cage, Paula Nieto Jasny logged 12 saves against the USC offense who fired off 33 shots.
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How it happened
USC struck first, but Guevremont responded in the next Bulldog possession to even the score at one with 6:35 on the clock in the opening period. The Trojans outscored Fresno State 5-2 in the first quarter, being the only quarter that the team's were separated by more than one goal in scoring. Guevremont scored both goals in the opening quarter.
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The teams tied 2-2 in the second quarter as Andress scored her first at the 6:29 mark, cutting the USC lead to two, 5-3. USC dished two more before Andress scored again. USC responded quickly with another shot to put the Trojans up 8-4, but Guevremont again answered on the following possession to make it an 8-5 score at the half.
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Just three goals were scored in the third quarter with USC having a 2-1 advantage there. USC had a breakaway attempt, but Nieto Jasny came up big with the save. Fresno State would call a timeout to regroup, and on its following possession, Andress logged a cross-pool assist to Grim for the Bulldogs' lone goal of the quarter with 1:10 left on the clock.
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The teams tied in scoring again in the final quarter, 2-2. Howarth opened up scoring for the 'Dogs, netting one in on a deep shot. Andress scored for her hat trick with 1:09 left in the game.
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Notable
- Fresno State's defense allowed its least goals scored in an NCAA quarterfinal game.
- Fresno State had two scorers with at least three goals for the first time at an NCAA quarterfinal game. It was just the second time at least one player scored three goals in the quarterfinals.
- Paula Nieto Jasny's 12 saves are the most in an NCAA quarterfinal for a Bulldog keeper as Nieto Jasny had 10 in 2022 and Hope Stokes had eight in 2021.
- Fresno State has not had a double-digit losing season since 2019.
- Fresno State has made the NCAA tournament in each of the last three seasons
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Players Mentioned
Attacker
/ Water Polo
Attacker
/ Water Polo
Attacker
/ Water Polo
Attacker
/ Water Polo
Goalkeeper
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