Box Score (PDF)

FRESNO, Calif. -- It took two extra periods, but the Cal State East Bay water polo team earned a dramatic 12-11 road victory over Fresno Pacific on Saturday in the opening game of the 2019 season. 

Adrien Van Dyke's third goal of the afternoon came with 17 seconds left in overtime to lift the Pioneers to a win, the program's 18th straight over FPU dating back to 2007.

It was a back-and-forth contest the entire way between the two Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) rivals, as the teams traded the lead six times. The Sunbirds got out of the gate quickly, grabbing a 2-0 lead midway through the opening period. It took more than five minutes of game time for East Bay to get on the scoreboard, but then newcomer Payton Bosque scored twice on back-to-back possessions before the end of the quarter.

Cheyenne Pena and Maci Taylor both found the back of the cage in the second period, and the teams went into halftime deadlocked at 4-4. The Pioneers then took their first lead of the day when Van Dyke netted her first goal on the first possession of the second half. 

The Sunbirds answered with two straight goals to go back ahead, 6-5, but then Pena converted a power play to even the score and Maeve Flynn put East Bay back on top just before the end of the third.

The Pioneers appeared to grab the momentum early in the fourth quarter, as Van Dyke scored again and then reigning Division II National Player of the Year Auriel Bill picked up her first goal of the season to make it 9-6. But the home team refused to roll over, scoring three times over the next three minutes to tie the game. Both squads had a couple chances to net the game-winner in the final two minutes of regulation, but the defenses were stout. 

They went to overtime tied 9-9, and then 90 seconds in, FPU's Sam Witt scored her game-high fifth goal of the day to put the Sunbirds ahead. They made it 11-9 a minute later, but Brittany Smith answered back with a goal before the end of the period to bring CSUEB back within one. Smith found the back of the cage once again to open the final three-minute period to even the score 11-11 and once again flip the momentum back in East Bay's favor.

Both teams made some big defensive stops down the stretch, and freshman goalkeeper Daniela Passoni made a couple clutch saves in crucial moments. Then with 34 seconds left in overtime, the Sunbirds were whistled for an exclusion. After a Pioneer time out, Van Dyke converted the game-winning goal just before the end of power play. 

Pena, Bosque, and Smith all finished with two goals, while junior Briana Ruiz led the way with three assists and three steals. Passoni tallied four saves in her first career victory.

Next up, the Pioneers will return to Hayward to host Santa Clara in their home opener, next Saturday, Feb. 2.