LA JOLLA, CA- The Hartwick water polo team began the first of two days of competition at the UC Triton Invitational hosted by the University of California at San Diego on Saturday. The Hawks faced #10 Arizona State in their first match of the day and fell to the Sun Devils 13-4.

Katie Ermakova (Columbia, MD) scored twice to lead Hartwick. Sami Capparelli (Miami, FL) and Jemma Dendy Young (Cape Town, South Africa) also scored once each.

ASU was led by Alkistis Benekou's five goals. Izabella Chiappini tallied four goals. Anna Kerkes, Liz Kreek, Pedtra Pardi, and Ao Gao all scored once.

The Sun Devils scored first at 6:07 of the first quarter on Chiappini's first goal of the day. Hartwick answered back on a score from Ermakova. 10 straight scores from ASU spanning the first and second quarters pushed the score to 11-1 in the Sun Devils' favor.

Hartwick stopped the Arizona State streak when Dendy Young found the back of the cage for the Hawks to make it 11-2 at 5:15 of the third quarter. The two teams exchange goals for the remainder of the period and neither scored in the final frame as the final score stood at 13-4 in ASU's favor.

In the second game and for the second time in three days, 'Wick matched up with San Diego State. Hartwick led 2-1 after the first quarter and only trailed by one at halftime but the Aztecs outscored the Hawks 10-3 in the second half to come out with a 15-7 win.

Capparelli led the way with three goals. Lara Dendy Young (Cape Town, South Africa), Jemma Dendy Young, Britt Tait (Kariong, Austrailia), and Ermakova all chipped in one score.

Carolina Israels paced SDSU with four scores. Ioli Benekou and Anique Herman contributed three goals apiece Nicole Ferrari and Alyssa Diacono had a pair of scores. Carina Carballo scored once.

The Hawks scored twice within 25 seconds of the first quarter. Capparelli put Hartwick on the board first at 4:29 and was followed by Ermakova at 4:04. 'Wick kept the Aztecs off the board until five seconds remained in the period when Israels scored her first for SDSU.

The Aztecs tied the contest up 2-2 at 7:17 of the second frame and then took the lead at 6:47 on goals from Benekou. The lead did not last when Capparelli scored 14 seconds later to again tie the score. SDSU moved ahead with two goals scored but Tait closed the gap with a goal as the Hawks only trailed 5-4 at the break.

San Diego State started to separate itself from Hartwick with three goals in the third quarter. The Hawks closed to the gap to 9-6 just 20 seconds into the fourth stanza on Capparelli's third goal of the game but the Aztecs rattled off six straight scores to pull away in the end.

The Hawks will next face Sonoma State tomorrow morning. Game time from the Canyonview Aquatic Center will be at 8 a.m. local time (11 a.m. Eastern).


Hartwick 1 0 3 0 - 4
ASU 7 4 2 0 - 13


Hartwick goals: Katie Ermakova 2, Jemma Dendy Young 1, Sami Capparelli 1
ASU goals: Alkistis Benekou 5, Izabella Chiappini 4, Anna Kerkes 1, Liz Kreck 1, Pedtra Pardi 1, Ao Gao 1




Hartwick 2 2 1 2 - 7
SDSU 1 4 4 6 - 15


Hartwick goals: Sami Capparelli 3, Britt Tait 1, Lara Dendy Young 1, Jemma Dendy Young 1, Katie Ermakova 1
SDSU goals: Carolina Israels 4, Ioli Benekou 3, Anique Herman 3, Nicole Ferrari 2, Alyssa Diacono 2, Carina Carballo 1