Box Score: CSEB 8, SSU 7 - F

LA JOLLA, Calif. – Casey Rushforth deflected home the game-winning goal as time expired to lift Cal State East Bay to an 8-7 victory over Sonoma State in Friday's Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Championships opener. The Pioneers will play Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday, April 26, at 1 p.m. inside the Canyonview Aquatic Center on the campus of UC San Diego.

Website: 2014 WWPA Championships

"We called a 30-second timeout with 1.9 seconds remaining. We lined up all of our players at the 2-meter line and had Breanna Ritter fire it from half tank towards the goal. Casey Rushforth was able to get a touch on it to score as the buzzer went off," said Cal State East Bay Head Coach Lisa Cooper.

Cooper says it was the same play she used back in 2005 that sent Cal State East Bay to the Division III title game with a win over Occidental. On both occasions this play has worked, it has advanced the Pioneers into the next round of a post-season tournament.

It was the fourth time this season Cal State East Bay defeated Sonoma State, but none more important than Friday's victory. The win sends the Pioneers straight through to the tournament semifinals while the Seawolves will face Cal State San Bernardino in an elimination game on Saturday morning. The winner of that game will then face top seed and host UC San Diego in the afternoon.

Cal State East Bay led for only 15 seconds of game time over the first three quarters of play. An Olivia Mackell goal with 19 seconds remaining in the opening frame gave the Pioneers their only lead until the midway point of the fourth quarter. Sonoma State's (7-21) Lexii Morabito scored two of her game-high three goals in the final five seconds of two different quarters including an equalizer with four ticks left in the first.

The Seawolves took a 5-2 lead out of halftime with three unanswered goals from Carleigh Robinson, Morabito, and Jessica Becker. The final two of the scoring run came courtesy of 6-on-5 chances and were the only player advantage conversions of the game for Sonoma State in nine opportunities. It would prove to play a key role in Friday's outcome as Cal State East Bay went 4-for-5 in the game including a game-tying fourth quarter penalty shot from Sara Hudyn.

After falling behind by its largest deficit of the game Cal State East Bay responded with goals on back-to-back possessions. Ritter converted a 6-on-5 scoring chance followed by Allison Zell's team-high second score of the game. Simonne Call pulled the Pioneers even briefly with 17 seconds left in the third before Morabito put the Seawolves ahead with only three seconds left heading into the fourth quarter.

"I'm so proud of my team. When we were down 5-2 in the third, they kept their composure and regained the momentum," praised Cooper of her team's come-from-behind victory. "The whole team stepped up. We had six different players score and it was a great combined effort."

After Hudyn tied the game with a penalty shot goal, the teams traded scores to make it 7-7 with 2:25 remaining in regulation. The Seawolves drew their ninth exclusion of the match and earned a 6-on-5 scoring chance with the potential to take the lead in their final offensive possession.

Cal State East Bay got the stop and immediately called time out to set up the eventual game-winning play. Pioneers goalkeeper Marrina Nation made 10 saves in the win including five stops during a second quarter shutout. Seawolves netminder Andrea Mallul stopped nine shots in the loss.

Cal State East Bay (16-13) and Cal State Monterey Bay (10-17) split two regular season meetings. Each team won at the others home in one-goal overtime decisions. The rubber match will decide which team advances to the WWPA Championship final on Sunday, April 27.

For more information on upcoming contests, visit the Cal State East Bay women's water polo schedule page.

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