Box Score: CSUEB 8, SSU 6  |  Box Score: Marist 9, CSUEB 7

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay water polo team split its two games on the final day of the 2017 Triton Invitational Sunday, defeating conference rival Sonoma State 8-6 in the morning, before falling 9-7 to No. 23 ranked Marist College in the afternoon.

Both games were extremely tight, back-and-forth contests. Such is often the case when the Pioneers and Seawolves meet, and this morning was no exception. 

Auriel Bill scored the first two goals of the day to put East Bay ahead 2-0, but Sonoma scored just before the end of the first quarter, and then again to start the second, tying the game 2-2. Newcomers Alicia Tully and Leilani Vazquez both found the back of the cage in the second, but the Seawolves answered back again, and the Pioneers took a narrow 4-3 lead into halftime. 

After trading goals to start the third quarter, the Pioneers drew a 5-meter penalty with 3:13 remaining. Katelyn Clark converted the penalty shot to double East Bay's lead, and then Brandi Carroll scored two possessions later to make the score 7-4.

Once again, SSU made it interesting. They scored in the final minute of the third, and then again less than two minutes into the fourth, cutting CSUEB's lead to one. The Seawolves had several chances to tie the game, but goalkeeper Nikki Vaughan -- who finished with 12 saves -- and the Pioneer defense were resilient. Rocio Fesembeck added an insurance goal with 2:11 remaining, allowing East Bay to hold on for a satisfying win.

The Pioneers almost made it a Sunday sweep, but came up just short against Marist in the 13th place game of the Triton Invitational. 

East Bay never led in the game after Marist took a 1-0 lead, but it was tied 1-1 after the first quarter, and the Pioneers trailed by just two at halftime. Marist scored three goals in the first five minutes of the third to make it 8-4, and it looked as though they might pull away. 

But the Pioneers rallied, thanks to an outstanding effort by Fesembeck. She notched a goal with 3:25 left in the third to make the score 8-5. It stayed that way until midway through the fourth quarter. After the Pioneers drew an ejection, Fesembeck scored in the 6-on-5 situation to draw within two goals. A minute later, Fesembeck found the back of the cage once again, and suddenly the Pioneers were within one.

Unfortunately, their comeback ran out of time. Marist came back down the pool and score with 1:11 left to make it 9-7, and then held on for the victory.

Fesembeck racked up four goals in the loss, while Vaughan totaled 15 saves. 

With a 3-5 record to open the season, CSUEB returns home next weekend to host Fresno Pacific in what will be the third matchup of the season between the Pioneers and Sunbirds.