Box Score: CSUEB 11, Concordia 8
Box Score: CSUEB 7, SCU 6

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay water polo team enjoyed a tremendously successful Saturday at Santa Clara University's Sullivan Aquatic Center, winning both ends of its non-conference doubleheader. 

The Pioneers defeated Concordia-Irvine, 11-8, in their first game of the afternoon before outlasting SCU in thrilling fashion by a score of 7-6 to close out the day and improve their overall record to 9-7.

Seven different players scored for the Pioneers against Concordia in a match that was tight until the final period. Adrien Van Dyke scored two of her team-high three goals in the first quarter and Brittany Smith added one, as the teams traded scores in the opening period and played to a 3-3 tie.

East Bay went ahead two minutes into the second quarter on a goal by Auriel Bill, and the squad led the entire way after that. Leilani Vazquez scored with under two minutes left before halftime, but the Eagles answered to stay within one. Then on the final possession of the period, Brooke Hodgkinson found the back of the cage to put CSUEB up 6-4.

The Pioneers stretched out their lead in the third quarter with goals by Cheyenne Brady and Briana Ruiz, the second of the game for Bill, and the third of the afternoon for Van Dyke. They led 10-6 heading into the fourth, and thanks to another goal by Ruiz, Concordia never got closer than three. 

The team had a brief break to rest before returning to the pool to take on Santa Clara. It was the rubber match of a tightly-contested season series between the Pioneers and Broncos, as both squads notched one-goal victories in the two previous meetings this year. Saturday's third matchup lived to that billing.

The Pioneers grabbed an early lead on a goal by Beverly Ayers, but the Broncos quickly answered by converting a 6-on-5 advantage. The home team then took a 2-1 lead after scoring with 10 seconds left in the first period. The teams put a tally in the score column just once each during the second quarter, with Hodgkinson notching her second goal of the doubleheader.

East Bay trailed by just one at halftime, but the Broncos seemed to grab the momentum in the third quarter when goals by Annie Eldredge and Hannah Buck made the score 5-2 in favor of SCU midway through the period. But the Pioneers rallied back in the final minute of the third. Following an SCU ejection, Gina Sorenson converted the powerplay situation with her first goal of the season. Two possessions later, Van Dyke beat the third quarter buzzer to bring CSUEB within one at 5-4.

The Pioneers kept that momentum going in the fourth as Cheyenne Pena tied the game less than a minute into the quarter, and then Van Dyke put East Bay ahead two minutes later. The Broncos tied the game with just 1:17 remaining, but the Pioneers weren't fazed. After an SCU ejection and a timeout by head coach Lisa Cooper, Pena scored the game-winning goal at the very end of the powerplay with 39 seconds left in regulation.

Makenna Nation had an outstanding performance in the cage to close out a 2-0 day, racking up 13 saves and two steals against the Brioncos, while holding Santa Clara to just one score in the final quarter.

Next up, the Pioneers hit the road this week for four non-conference games in four days against Redlands, La Verne, No. 19 Cal State Northridge, and Chapman.