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Vanda Baksa Sets Freshman Point Record In Win Over APU

by thesundevils.com
Mar 11, 2022

TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil Water Polo (11-8, 1-1) opened their final home tournament of the season with a 6-12 win over Azusa Pacific (6-6). Vanda Baksa and Borbala Kekesi each added hat tricks to their resume to lead ASU to their fifth straight win at home. The Sun Devils have a doubleheader tomorrow against Harvard and Marist at 8:00 am and 1:15 pm MST, respectively and both games will be streamed here. 

Marie Rudasics got the birthday start in goal for the Maroon and Gold, and picked up her first win as a Sun Devil– tallying nine saves while the defense held Azusa Pacific to just two goals in the second half after APU put four on the board in the first half. 

Head Coach Todd Clapper noted his shorthanded squad, but praised his team's win, "We had a few people out, so we tried to, in terms of chemistry, I think the lineup took a little bit to get going."

Freshman attacker Vanda Baksa solidified herself in the record books with three goals and one assist today, good for four points and sole possession of all-time points for a freshman with 84 points. She passed Rowie Webster's 82 points, a record that had not been touched since 2006. 

Clapper noted his freshman's impact, "She's doing so much for us. She sees the pool really well. She's distributing the ball well, and she's scoring well."

Luca Petovary got the Sun Devils on the board first with her first goal coming at the midway mark in the first quarter. APU fought back with a goal to tie the game at one, and Stevilyn Griffin's goal put the Sun Devils up 2-1. APU scored in the final minute of the first quarter to keep it knotted at two apiece heading into the second quarter. 

The second quarter was similar to the first quarter, as the first Sun Devil goal came midway through the second quarter. Vanda Baksa netted a goal and assisted on Tarah Schaffer's goal to put the Sun Devil lead up to 5-3. APU pulled back within one, but Bori Kekesi's lob shot brought it back to a two goal game headed into halftime. Vanda's assist put her at 82 points on the season which ties the program's season points for a freshman record with Rowie Webster's 82 that was set back in 2006. 

Emma Fraser got the first goal of the third, and Baksa netted two straight goals to add another hat trick to her resume and take sole possession of the freshman single season point record. The Sun Devils ended the quarter with the 9-5 lead to head into the final frame. 

 APU scored first in the fourth, but Emily Bennett's behind-the-back goal put the Sun Devils in double digits. Kekesi's second and third of the day doubled APU's total and made it a 12-6 game with two minutes to play to close out the win.

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