STOCKTON, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay water polo team dropped a 7-6 decision to No. 19 Pacific on the road on Saturday afternoon in Stockton. The Pioneers (2-2), facing their second nationally-ranked, Division I opponent of the season, set a new season-low in holding the Tigers to just seven goals but could not convert offensively in the loss.

After Pacific opened the scoring, the Pioneers answered with three straight goals from Carly Clark, Claire Pierce and Erica Crain to take a 3-1 lead into the second quarter.

The Tigers pulled back within one goal less than a minute into the period and, after the Pioneers missed out on a player-advantage opportunity, tied the game at three goals apiece thanks to a penalty goal from Dara Tawarahara, her second score of the quarter. The Tigers finished the period with another goal and a blank sheet on defense for the second quarter, thanks in part to three saves from goalie Michele Relton.

Tawarahara put away her third goal of the game to open the third quarter and give Pacific its largest lead of the game, 5-3, with 5:43 remaining. East Bay answered back just 30 seconds later with Clark's second goal to cut the lead back to one. The Tigers ended the quarter by regaining the two-goal advantage with a goal in the last seconds to take a 6-4 lead into the fourth period.

After drawing a penalty at the 6:02 mark, Sarah Grunberger converted and pulled East Bay back within one, 6-5. Pacific responded to the pressure, getting the eventual gamewinner from Mandy King with 5:46 left to play to regain a two-goal lead. Though the Pioneers got a last-second goal from Pierce to cut the lead to 7-6, it was not enough after East Bay squandered a pair of player-advantage situations in the final two minutes of play.

Clark and Pierce paced the Pioneers with a pair of goals each, while Crain and Grunberger added a goal apiece. Junior goalie Jayme Pekarske posted her second straight 12-save match in the cage for East Bay. Tawarahara's hat trick led the Tigers, while Relton made six saves in the victory.

Cal State East Bay returns to action on Friday, Feb. 11, when it travels to La Jolla to meet No. 17 UC San Diego in WWPA action. The Pioneers will remain in La Jolla for the weekend to play in the Triton Invitational.

GAME SUMMARY

	1	2	3	4	Final
Cal State East Bay	3	0	1	2	6
#19 Pacific	1	3	2	1	7

GOALS
CSUEB: Clark 2, Pierce 2, Crain, Grunberger
UOP: Tawarahara 3, King 2, Loper, Quertermous

SAVES
CSUEB: Pekarske 12
UOP: Relton 6