Box Score:
CSEB 15, MAC 4 - F
HAYWARD, Calif. – Cal State East Bay women's water polo extended its season-long win streak to five games following a 15-4 win over Macalester on Monday afternoon at Pioneer Pool. East Bay senior
Julia Charlesworth scored three goals in a sibling rivalry game as she paced the Pioneer offense past her older sister and Head Coach of the Scots, Jennie Charlesworth.
"I definitely wanted to go out there and show her that I was just as good as she was (when she played)," said Charlesworth. Older sister Jennie was a Division I player at San Jose State who scored 17 goals during the 1998 season and played Cal State East Bay (formerly CSU Hayward) in her first collegiate contest. "(Jennie) was probably the better water polo player, but if we were to play now I think I would give her a tough time."
The younger Charlesworth and company gave Macalester (2-4) a tough time throughout Monday's game as the Pioneers built a 10-1 halftime lead. Taylor Cross scored the opening two goals of the game and was one of six different Pioneers to score in the opening quarter.
Cal State East Bay has scored 15 or more goals in three straight games and at least 14 goals in four of the team's past five contests. Cross, Charlesworth,
Casey Rushforth, and Ka'iliponi McGee each scored multiple times in the victory.
"We were able to capitalize and work on our counterattack and get it going to score a lot of goals," said Charlesworth. "I don't think much has changed, but we have been working on our outside shooting so when teams drop on defense we can take the open water and shoot," when asked about the team's recent increase in scoring.
East Bay goalkeeper
Marrina Nation made seven saves and shut out Macalester (2-4) during the second quarter as her team built a 10-1 halftime lead. The Pioneers are 10-1 when the defense holds the opposition to fewer than 10 goals this season.
Nine different Pioneers scored in all including Olivia Mackell, Shelbie Higginson,
Jennifer Lightbody,
Sara Hudyn, and
Allison Zell. Higginson scored her first collegiate goal to cap off the team's scoring at the 3:25 mark of the fourth quarter.
Sarah Shoemaker scored twice in the second half to lead the Scots in the defeat. Macalester converted on both of its fourth quarter 6-on-5 chances with Shoemaker and Maggie McKenna each scoring goals. Scots goalkeeper Anya Phillips made a game-high eight saves including six in the opening half.
Cal State East Bay (9-9) will head to Southern California to play five games over two days starting on Saturday, March 22. The Pioneers will play three games at Chapman University on Saturday and a pair at Cal State San Bernardino on Sunday, March 23.
East Bay Athletics Twitter:
https://twitter.com/CSUEBathletics
East Bay Water Polo Twitter:
https://twitter.com/CSUEBWaterPolo
East Bay Athletics Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/CSUEBathletics
East Bay Athletics Instagram:
http://instagram.com/csuebathletics