Box Score

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay water polo team secured another dramatic win on Friday afternoon, outlasting Cal Lutheran by a final score of 9-7 at Samuelson Aquatic Center. 

Auriel Bill accounted for seven of the nine Pioneers scores with four goals and three assists. She scored a pair of those goals in the final four minutes of the game to break a 7-7 tie and secure the win for CSUEB.

Bill also notched the first goal of the game, just one minute into the first quarter. But the Regals answered back to tie the game, then scored again with 31 seconds left in the period to take a 2-1 lead. The Pioneers returned the favor in the second quarter, as Leilani Vazquez found the back of the cage twice, sandwiched around a power play goal by Gabriella Garcia. The teams went into halftime tied 4-4.

Briana Ruiz scored her first career goal to give the Pioneers the lead back midway through the third, but Cal Lutheran came back and scored on the next possession. Bill netted her second score of the day with 37 seconds left in the period to give CSUEB a narrow 6-5 lead with one quarter to play. 

The home team scored two quick goals in the first two minutes of the fourth period to flip the momentum. But the Pioneers took care of business in crunch time on both ends of the tank. Tully notched her second goal of the game to tie the score, and then Bill scored at 3:20 and 2:06 to clinch the win for East Bay. That was the first time all game either team had led by more than one goal. 

Senior Nikki Vaughan turned in an outstanding effort in the cage, tallying eight saves and two steals while holding Cal Lu scoreless over the final six minutes to notch the victory. 

Friday's win evens up CSUEB's overall record at 5-5. The team has four more games on the slate this weekend at Cal Lutheran's Tina Finali Invitational, starting with match-ups against St. Francis College at 12 p.m. and Siena at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.