Score Sheet (PDF)

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. -- Senior Sabrina Hatzer set a single-game school record with eight goals on Friday, and the Cal State East Bay water polo team erased an early 3-0 deficit to defeat rival Sonoma State by a final score of 11-7. 

Hatzer's remarkable performance bested the previous record of seven goals, held by four-time All-American Claire Pierce.

The Pioneers improve to 4-6 for the season, while the Seawolves drop to 2-8. The teams will meet once more during the regular season in their designated Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) contest on Apr. 9 in Hayward.

The home team got off to a hot start, scoring three goals in the first six minutes of the game to grab an early lead. Head coach Lisa Cooper called a timeout after the Pioneers fell behind 3-0. From that point forward, Hatzer took control of the match as East Bay out-scored Sonoma 11-2 over the next three quarters.

Hatzer scored her first goal of the game with three minutes left in the opening period, but the Seawolves answered on Noelle Herrera's second score of the afternoon to take a 4-1 lead after one quarter.

But the Pioneers were resilient and dominated the second quarter, riding Hatzer's shooting. She scored three straight goals before Jenn Lightbody got in on the fun, converting a 6-on-5 situation with a goal just before the halftime buzzer. CSUEB went into the break with their first lead of the day at 5-4.

The Pioneers took control of the game in the third. After Hatzer and SSU's Lily Carlon traded early scores, Olivia Mackell found the back of the cage to double East Bay's lead. Hatzer then scored on two straight possessions to make it 9-5, and Lightbody added her second goal of the game at the end of the period. 

Hatzer broke the program record with her eighth goal less than a minute into the fourth, giving East Bay an 11-5 advantage and quelling as possibility of a Seawolf comeback.

Casey Rushforth and Brandi Carroll notched two assists each in the victory. Carroll also matched Tori Dettloff's team high with three steals.
Mackell led the way with three exclusions drawn to go along with a goals and an assist.

Junior Nikki Vaughan had a strong showing in the cage, racking up 11 saves. She held the Seawolves to just one goal total during the second and third periods, and also finished with three assists to lead the squad.

Next up, the Pioneers return home and return to action on Saturday afternoon to close out Homecoming Week with a 1 p.m. game against Fresno Pacific.