Score Sheet (PDF)

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay water polo team opened its weekend at Cal Lutheran's Tina Finali Invitational with a 9-5 victory over the Regals Friday afternoon at Samuelson Aquatic Center.

It was an outstanding defensive effort by the Pioneers, who have been strong in that area so far this season. They allowed just one goal in the first two periods as they built a 6-1 advantage heading into halftime. Makenna Nation continued her run of stellar play in the cage, finishing with 11 saves and two steals.

Auriel Bill opened the scoring by converting a 6-on-5 situation, and then Leilani Vazquez found the back on the cage on a powerplay three minutes later to put the Pioneers up 2-1. Cheyenne Brady got in on the fun with another score in the final minute of the first quarter.

Goals by newcomers Ivanna Anderson, Maeve Flynn, and Adrien Van Dyke in the second period put CSUEB ahead by five at the break.

CLU scored to open the second half, but the Pioneers answered back as Van Dyke netted her second goal with a 6-on-5 advantage. Bill's second goal came early in the fourth, and an insurance goal by Briana Ruiz with 1:20 left in the game negated a pair of fourth-quarter goals by the Regals, who weren't able to cut their deficit closer than three in the second half.

The Pioneers tallied assists on seven of their nine goals in the victory. Defensively, Van Dyke led the way with four steals and Ruiz totaled three. 

CSUEB will be back in the pool Saturday for two more games at this annual tournament, taking on Azusa Pacific at 11:00 a.m. and Occidental at 4:00 p.m.