UC Davis’ strong 18-7 victory over San Diego Sate on Sunday displayed hope for a promising season.
The Aggies dominated the game from the start with three goals in the first four minutes. Elizabeth Datino tallied four goals and two assists while Hannah Mirza added a hat trick. Teammates Stephanie Guercio, Lauren Nardi, Charlotte Morris and Allie Lehner each contributed two goals.
“I am pleased with the efforts of Datino and Mirza,” said coach Elaine Jones. “They played well on the field [Sunday].”
The Aggies never trailed in the contest.
San Diego State nearly tied the game at 6-5. However, shortly after, Guercio hit a short-handed goal and Datino followed with a net.
After almost 10 scoreless minutes, Nardi hit two goals in the 42nd and 44th minutes, pushing the lead to a 10-5 margin. Morri’s two goals in the later half solidified the Aggies’ 6-0 run.
UC Davis outshot San Diego State by a 40-24 margin –– 22-11 in the first half, also successfully clearing 10 of 11 transitions. San Diego State improved from 12 turnovers in the first half to four after the break.
Jones stated that the victory against the Aztecs was a “strong conference win and provided an essential confidence win.” She joked, “Everyone wants to win their first game!”
UC Davis’ next matchup is on the road against Saint Mary’s on Thursday. Jones expressed excitement for the upcoming contest, saying that the respective lineups should make for a grueling, albeit thrilling, game.
VEENA BANSAL can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.
