SAN DIEGO – Villanova erased a three-goal deficit to open the fourth quarter but could not take over, falling to No. 22 San Diego State, 10-9, on Friday in the Aztec Invitational.
There were two times in the second half where Villanova (9-8) worked its was back into a tie with SDSU (4-11) but couldn't pull ahead. Villanova never led by more than a goal throughout the contest.
Emily McKenzie led the team with four goals on five shot attempts, scoring all three of the team's first three goals of the day.
Allie Hansen also recorded a multi-goal outing, scoring two on four attempts.
Emily McKenzie gave Villanova an early lead with her opening goal, but that quickly went away. Samantha Loughlin found the back of the net 20 seconds later before a Danni Croteau goal with 4:57 on the clock out SDSU ahead by one. McKenzie struck again with nearly two minutes remaining in the opening period to level the contest, 2-2.
It took just 66 seconds into the second quarter for McKenzie to score her hat trick, giving Villanova a 3-2 lead. The Aztecs came back even on an Amanda Legaspi five-meter attempt before
Allie Hansen pushed the 'Cats back ahead, 4-3. Legaspi scored again with 2:38 remaining in the second, spurring a 3-0 scoring run to make it a 6-4 Aztec lead.
Stella Byles cut the deficit back to one, but Claudia Valdes scored to give San Diego State a 7-5 halftime advantage.
Neither team could make a break in the first four minutes of the third with a total of seven shots either being saved or sailing wide. Claudia Valdes was the one to connect for the Aztecs, pushing their lead out to 8-5. Villanova's 7:41 scoring drought spanning the second and third quarters came to an end late in the frame. McKenzie scored her fourth in the final two minutes before
Lauren Picard slimmed the margin to one at 8-7 right before the horn sounded for the third.
The Blue and White scoring surge stretched into the fourth. Hansen needed just 30 seconds into the frame to tie the game, 8-8. SDSU's Klara Goldstein ended the scoring streak, putting her group back ahead, 9-8, and forcing Villanova to take a timeout. Out of the break,
Emily Morrissey knotted the contest back up with 3:43 remaining until Sophia Righetti fired in a powerplay goal to make it a 10-9 Aztec advantage. The Wildcats attempted four shots down the stretch, including a heave from goalie
Sarah Shaw, but they all came up short.
Goalie
Sarah Shaw made 11 saves, allowing 10 goals and grabbing two steals. On the other end of the pool, SDSU's Mandy Lagerlof also made 11 saves.
Villanova finishes the Aztec Invitational with a pair of games on Saturday, starting with Westcliff at 11 a.m. EST.
