Box Score

HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay water polo team fell to visiting Santa Clara University by a final score of 11-7 on a beautiful afternoon at Pioneer Pool Saturday.

Senior Brandi Carroll led the way with two goal for the Pioneers, who had their six-game win streak snapped with the loss. CSUEB drops to 9-6 for the season, while the Broncos improve to 5-13. 

Fans might have expected a low-scoring game after SCU outlasted East Bay 6-4 when the teams met earlier this season. But this contest featured much more offense, and CSUEB got off to a great start in the first quarter. Olivia Mackell notched the first goal of the day off an assist from Katelyn Clark less than a minute into the game. After two Bronco goals, Carroll and Gabriella Garcia scored on back-to-back possessions, with both goal coming in 6-on-5 situations.

The Pioneers held a 3-2 advantage after Garcia's goal, but that would be their last lead of the game. After finding the back of the cage in the final minute of the first period, they didn't score again until the final minute of the third. In the meantime, Santa Clara scored seven unanswered goals over three quarters to make the score 9-3.

Clark and Alicia Tully scored for the Pioneers before the end of the third period, and then Carroll and Auriel Bill each added a goal in the fourth, but the Pioneers weren't quite able to threaten a serious comeback. 

Senior Nikki Vaughan played the first three quarters in the cage and tallied eight saves in the defeat. 

The Pioneers now have their toughest stretch of the 20167 schedule ahead of this in the next week. After hosting the Chinese National Team for a scrimmage this Thursday morning at 10:45 a.m., East Bay will travel to the CSU Bakersfield Invitational to battle four Division I, nationally-ranked opponents next weekend.