COMMERCE, Calif., May 19, 2002\u2014Commerce \u2018A\u2019 defeated San Diego Shores, 9-8, in an overtime thriller at the Commerce Aquatorium to win the 2002 Women\u2019s 20-Under Open Championship on Sunday.<\/p>\n
San Diego jumped out to an early 3-2 lead before scoring three unanswered goals to take a 6-2 lead at the half. But that lead didn\u2019t hold for long.<\/p>\n
Commerce powered out on a 5-0 run to start the second half and led, 7-6, following a goal by Patty Cardenas with 6:13 to play in the game. But San Diego reclaimed the lead at 8-7 following a pair of perimeter lob scores by Kelly Rulon.<\/p>\n
With 1:28 remaining in regulation play, Cardenas battled through a double-team at set to float in the game-tying goal for Commerce.<\/p>\n
Shores managed a steal with 36 seconds remaining and called time out to advance the ball to half-tank and set up its offense. Shores tried to get the ball into two-meters following the time out, but Commerce knocked the ball away, thwarting Shores\u2019 attempt at a last shot and forcing overtime.<\/p>\n
The 8-8 impasse was shattered with a minute remaining in the first overtime on a goal by Commerce\u2019s Sheetal Narsai. Commerce led, 9-8, heading into the second overtime frame. As it turns out, that was all that Commerce would need. Both teams threw up blanks in the second overtime as Commerce held on for the 9-8 win.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt halftime, I told them that they were creating good opportunities for themselves, but that they just weren\u2019t cashing in on them,\u201d said Commerce head coach Gabe Martinez after the game. \u201cIn the second half, we started to take advantage of those opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was especially nice for Martinez to win the championship at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s always nice to win at home,\u201d he said, soaked after his post-game dunk.<\/p>\n
Narsai, who scored three goals in the win, garnered tournament MVP honors.<\/p>\n
2002 Women\u2019s 20 and Under Open Championships<\/p>\n
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM<\/B><\/p>\n
Lauren Boruta, Santa Barbara
\nErin Brown, San Diego Shores A
\nPatty Cardenas, Commerce A
\nLydia Gardner, Navy
\nCasey Kerney, Navy
\nKristina Kunkel, Golden West
\nAlex Lopez, Commerce A
\nMelissa Madrid, Commerce A
\nViviana Moralis, Commerce A
\nJenna Murphy, Newport
\nAimee Stachowski, Golden West
\nKelly Rulon, San Diego Shores A
\nMoriah Van Norman, San Diego Shores A
\nShana Welch, Navy<\/p>\n
Most Valuable Goalkeeper<\/b>
\nAlex Feune de Columbi, San Diego Shores A<\/p>\n
Most Valuable Player<\/b>
\nSheetal Narsai, Commerce A<\/p>\n
HONORABLE MENTION<\/b><\/p>\n
Jessica Ball, Newport
\nJamie Brown, San Diego Shores B
\nMolly Cahill, Santa Barbara
\nRachel Comacho, San Diego Shores B
\nKelly Donahue, Navy
\nErica Figge, Golden West
\nMegan Hausmann, San Diego Shores A
\nKacy Kunkel, Golden West
\nMeredith McColl, Golden West
\nJennifer Rueda, Commerce A
\nKatie Rulon, San Diego Shores B<\/p>\n
(Courtesy of Eric Velazquez & USA Water Polo, posted by Michael Collins)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
COMMERCE, Calif., May 19, 2002\u2014Commerce \u2018A\u2019 defeated San Diego Shores, 9-8, in an overtime thriller at the Commerce Aquatorium to win the 2002 Women\u2019s 20-Under Open Championship on Sunday. San<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zzzzzzzzz"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n