HAYWARD, Calif. -- After opening the 2018 season against two of the top teams in the nation, the Cal State East Bay water polo team takes on its first Division II opponent of the season on Saturday when they visit Fresno Pacific for a 1:00 p.m. game at Sunnyside Aquatic Center.

While the Pioneers and Sunbirds play each other every year, this will be the first season in which it's a matchup of conference opponents. With FPU joining the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA), Saturday's contest could be a potential preview of a postseason showdown. 

East Bay opened the 2018 campaign last weekend at San Jose State's annual Lou Tully Memorial tournament. They fell 13-5 to the No. 15 ranked Spartans in the regular season opener, led by a hat trick from senior Leilani Vazquez.

Vazquez is one of two returning All-WWPA honorees on the 2018 squad along with sophomore Auriel Bill. CSUEB's leading scorer from 2017 was held off the scoreboard against SJSU, but she did record a team-high two assists. Bill also found the back of the cage later that afternoon during East Bay's 21-7 exhibition loss to No. 9 Pacific.

Junior Makenna Nation tallied eight saves against the Spartans in her first game as the Pioneers' new starting goalkeeper. Freshmen Ivanna Anderson and Adrien Van Dyke both played prominent roles for head coach Lisa Cooper in their collegiate debits, despite going scoreless on 11 combined shot attempts. Anderson posted a team-high three steals, while Van Dyke notched two.

Fresno Pacific began their season last week at the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invite, losing 21-0 to No. 19 UCSD, 16-12 to Azusa Pacific, and 21-4 to No. 3 UCLA. Julia Ponce leads the Sunbirds with six goals in the young season, and  Sam Witt has posted four goals, four assists, and four steals. 

Cal State East Bay has defeated Fresno Pacific in 15 straight meetings between the two teams over the last 10 seasons.