May 4, 2012

2012 National Collegiate Club Championship Schedule & Results

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Sophie Calhoun (So., Santa Cruz, Calif.) scored five times to garner Player of the Game accolades in leading No. 1-nationally ranked California Polytechnic State University past host Florida State University, 18-3, in the opening game of the 2012 National Collegiate Club Championship at FSU's Morcom Aquatics Center.

The victory marks Cal Poly's 17th consecutive National Collegiate Club Championship victory dating back to a loss versus Fresno State University in the 2007 title game hosted in Oregon. Since the loss, the Mustangs have claimed four consecutive championships taking the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 crowns.

Cal Poly never trailed in the game and opened up the contest by firing off 15 consecutive shots in barraging the Seminoles in the first period for an 8-0 lead after seven minutes of action.

Ciani Sparks (Sr., Hermos Beach, Calif.) started the scoring 48 seconds into the contest by puttting a ball into the cage at the 6:12 mark to set the Mustangs loose from the corral.

Leah Ashley (So., Abtos, Calif.) and Helen Compton (Jr., Martinez, Calif.) followed at 5:32 and 4:50, respectively, to push the lead to 3-0 before Calhoun connected on back-to-back blasts at 4:32 and 4:11 to make it 5-0.

Casey Clark (Jr., Agoura Hills, Calif.), Kate Warner (Sr., Lafayette, Calif.) and Ashley completed the opening quarter onslaught by zipping home shots at 2:39, 1:25 and 56 seconds to take an 8-0 lead after seven minutes of play.

Cal Poly continued to tack on insurance goals throughout the second and third quarters taking a 13-0 lead by halftime and a 16-0 margin with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter.

Florida State broke-up the shutout with 1:47 left in the third quarter as Mustangs' goalie Morgan Rollo (Jr., Santa Cruz, Calif.) was unable to clear foward a loose ball off a shot from Jackie Vincent (Jr., Longwood, Fla.) as the sphere went backwards into the mouth of the cage to make it 16-1.

The Mustangs got the tally back to set the scoreboard at 17-1 prior to the conclusion of the quarter as Calhoum tossed in her fifth strike of the morning with 43 seconds remaining in the frame.

Florida State closed the gap to 15 markers prior to the conclusion of the game as Alyson Watson (So., Orlando, Fla.) and Vincent netted goals at 5:20 and 47 seconds, while Compton cashed in on a man-up chance at the 1:49 mark for Cal Poly in establishing the 18-3 final score.

The Pacific Coast Division Mustangs received four goals from Compton, three from Ashley and a pair by Sparks to lead the way, while Rollo stopped six shots in going the distance and claiming the victory between the pipes.

Florida State, which is making its first appearance at the National Collegiate Club Championship after placing fourth in the Southeast Division, received two goals from Vincent and a solo strike by Watson to account for the squad's trio of scores.

With the win, Cal Poly advances to a 9:00 a.m. meeting on Saturday, May 5 in the tournament quarterfinals against the winner of a first round game between No. 10/Southwest Division champion Arizona State University and No. 3/Pacific Coast Division runner-up San Diego State University. 

Florida State will next be in action at 9:50 p.m. with a consolation round contest against the loser of the ASU-SDSU game.

Teams	1	2	3	4	--	Final
No. 1 California Polytechnic State University	8	5	4	1	--	18
Florida State University	0	0	1	2	--	3

FSU Goals: Jackie Vincent (2); Alyson Watson

Cal Poly Goals: Sophie Calhoun (5); Helen Compton (4); Leah Ashley (3); Ciani Sparks (2); Casey Clark; Jordan Bell; Kate Warner; Kristy Avis

Saves: FSU -  Erika Funderburk (8) ; Cal Poly - Morgan Rollo (6)

Exclusions: FSU -  0 ; Cal Poly - 6

Advantage Opportunities: FSU - None ; Cal Poly - 3-for-6

Sprints: FSU - 0-for-4 ; Cal Poly - 4-for-4 (First, Second, Third, Fourth)

Officials: Kristin Stanford, JR Perez

Florida State University's defense attempts to stop a California Polytetchnic State University shot