Box Score (PDF)

HAYWARD, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay water polo team was outlasted by No. 19 UC San Diego on Monday afternoon at Pioneer Pool by a final score of 13-8.

The Pioneers drop to 10-11 for the season and 1-1 in their designated Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) games. The nationally ranked Tritons improve to 14-12 with a perfect 3-0 mark in WWPA contests.

The visitors were in control during the first quarter, tallying the first four goals of the game and holding the Pioneers without a shot attempt through the first half of the period. East Bay finally got on the scoreboard with 26 seconds left, as Auriel Bill assisted on reigning WWPA Player of the Week Leilani Vazquez's goal. But the Tritons came back down the tank and scored on the final possession of the quarter to take a 5-1 lead after the first. 

The Pioneers made some adjustments on the offensive end and played UCSD to an even draw the rest of the way, but they weren't able to rattle off enough goals to threaten a serious comeback. 

Alicia Tully scored the next four goals for CSUEB, two in the second and two in the third, to set a career high and notch a hat trick. It was 8-5 after her fourth goal, but the Tritons answered back, scoring three straight times before the end of the third quarter.

Olivia Mackell scored a power play goal off an assist from Nicole Wiliams to open the fourth, but that was East Bay's only goal through the first six minutes of the period. With 1:52 left, Bill converted a 6-on-5 opportunity for her first goal of the day. Then with six seconds left, Beverly Ayers found the top right corner of the cage with a deep, arcing shot from nearly half tank for the last score of the game.

Despite the loss, senior goalkeeper Nikki Vaughan turned in an outstanding effort. She racked up 11 saves, several of which were impressive blocks from point-blank range, including a five-meter penalty shot in the second quarter.

This was the first and only matchup of the regular season between CSUEB and UCSD, and the first meeting between the two teams since last year's WWPA Tournament championship game. The Pioneers will hope to have another shot at the Tritons in a month at the 2017 tournament in Geneva, Ohio.

In the meantime, East Bay returns to the pool this Friday, Mar. 31, when the team hosts conference rival Sonoma State at 1 p.m. in Pioneer Pool.