Box Score: UCSD 10, CSUEB 8 - F

GENEVA, Ohio – Cal State East Bay battled to the bitter end in Sunday's 10-8 defeat to UC San Diego in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) title game at SPIRE Institute. Junior hole set Taylor Cross, senior goalkeeper Marrina Nation, and junior driver Casey Rushforth were named to the WWPA All-Tournament Team, announced directly after the final.

Website: WWPA Tournament Central

"I am so proud of my team. We didn't give up and kept on fighting until the very end," praised East Bay Head Coach Lisa Cooper of her team's effort.

Cal State East Bay had taken out Cal State Monterey Bay in overtime on Friday, and Sonoma State in sudden death overtime on Saturday in earning the chance to face UC San Diego in the finals on Sunday. Cross scored two first quarter goals to put the Pioneers out front 2-1 in hopes of knocking off the Tritons and winning the WWPA crown for the first time in program history.

UCSD (18-18) trailed for only 17 seconds in the game after Laurel Kistler tied the game on her team's ensuing possession with 1:50 left in the opening frame. Teammate Jolene Guiliana provided the go-ahead goal on the Tritons following offensive possession to spark a lengthy game-sealing scoring run.

Cross' three goals were the only first half Pioneer scores, while four different Tritons contributed at least one goal over the opening 16 minutes. UCSD would go on to score five third quarter goals including three of her game-high four from Lani Tittle.

The fight never left Cal State East Bay despite trailing 10-4 heading into the final quarter. Rushforth found teammate Bre Ritter within the opening minute of play to lift the Pioneer spirit.

Tori Dettloff scored back-to-back goals, and Rushforth added one of her own to make it 10-8 with 43 seconds remaining. However the Pioneers would run out of time to complete their comeback as the Tritons went on to win their third straight WWPA title.

Both teams struggled to find the net in premium scoring chances. Cal State East Bay failed to score on any of its six 6-on-5 chances and UCSD converted on 1-of-4 opportunities. In the regular season matchup the Pioneers cashed in on 4-of-9 power play chances while the Tritons were successful on 9-of-15 player advantage opportunities.

Nation made 10 saves on Sunday and 30 over the weekend in being named to the WWPA All-Tournament First Team. UCSD goalkeeper Courtney Miller, who was voted the WWPA Player of the Year, was also named an all-tournament first team selection and came up with eight saves in the title game.

Cross finished with at least three goals in all three games and led all WWPA players with 12 for the weekend. She joined Nation on the list of WWPA All-Tournament First Team selections. Rushforth finished with four goals and three assists to take down second team honors.

UCSD's Jolene Guiliana was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after finishing with six goals and four assists in two games.

Cal State East Bay finishes the 2015 season with a 13-16, 2-1 WWPA record.