Box Score (PDF)

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. -- The Cal State East Bay water polo team prevailed over conference rival Sonoma State on Saturday by a final score of 13-9 in Rudloff Pool.

The red-hot Pioneers, who have spent most of the season ranked in or just outside the national top-25, have now won six of their last seven and 11 of their last 14 games.

Although this contest wasn't as tight as last year's matchups -- in which CSUEB and SSU split four games, all decided by two goals or less -- it was nonetheless an exciting match between the two familiar foes.

Both squads netted a pair of goals in the first four minutes of play, as Brittany Smith and Adrien Van Dyke opened the scoring for the Pioneers. The visitors then took a 3-2 lead after the first quarter when Cheyenne Pena scored on the final possession of the period.

Two more goals by Van Dyke in the second quarter earned the freshman a hat trick before halftime. Maci Taylor also found the back of the cage, and it appeared as though East Bay might start to pull away. But the Seawolves answered with two quick goals to made the score 6-5 with less than a minute before the break. However, the Pioneers flipped the momentum, as Smith scored for the second time with 27 seconds left in the quarter to put the Pioneers up by two at game's halfway point.

Ivanna Anderson and Gina Sorenson got into the scoresheet in the third quarter, and once again it looked like CSUEB might pull away. But once again, the pesky Seawolves scored two straight goals. Taylor Brown's fifth goal of the day for SSU made it 9-7 just 30 seconds into the fourth quarter.

The Pioneers finally stepped on the gas in the final period, and this time there would be no Seawolf rally. Pena answered Brown with goals on back-to-back possessions to notch a hat trick and make it 11-7. Auriel Bill scored a minute later, and then Van Dyke netted her fourth with just under four minutes to play. That made the score 13-7, and although Sonoma added a couple late goals, their deficit was too great to make up.

Makenna Nation had another strong day in the cage, tallying six saves in the victory to improve her record to 11-6 as a starter. 

Next up, the Pioneers visit another Western Water Polo Association squad in Cal State Monterey Bay for their final road contest of the regular season next Friday, Apr. 6.