HAYWARD, Calif. – On Saturday at Pioneer Pool, trailing late, the Cal State East Bay women's water polo team made a tremendous comeback effort, but fell short against NCAA Division I opponent Indiana University, 13-11 on Saturday. 

In the first quarter, the Hoosiers scored all five goals in the quarter with two each coming from Tina Doherty and Katherine Hawkins and one coming from Izzy Mandema.

The Hoosiers would coring the first two goals of the quarter, building toward a 7-0 lead. The Pioneers would score their first goal of the match on a Hannah Peercy strike with 4:47 left in the half. Although Indiana got one goal back, the Pioneers got their second goal, a long range shot from Daniela Passoni with 1:23 left in the half. The Hoosiers led 8-2 at halftime.

Both teams played evenly in the third quarter, at 3-3, as Indiana took an 11-5 lead going into the fourth quarter. Luna Sarmiento had two goals in the third while Briana Ruiz had one. 

In the fourth quarter, the Pioneers climbed back into the match. The Pioneers got three goals in the quarter from Adrien Van Dyke, a pair from Auriel Bill and one from Sarmiento. Bill's goal with 33 seconds left would trim the Hoosiers' lead to 13-11 but the Pioneers would get no closer.

Cal State East Bay outshot Indiana 34-31 while each team won two opening sprints. 

Van Dyke and Sarmiento had a hat trick each on Saturday. 

Postgame Quotes

Cal State East Bay head coach Lisa Cooper:
"We came out a little bit flat at the start of the game and had to claw our way back. I am so proud of my team for never giving up and for our intensity in the second half. We won the second half 9-5 and the positivity and passion was awesome. Indiana [is] ranked #14 in [NCAA Division I] and we are right there."

Cooper also added, "We had a very challenging week but I am happy with where we are headed into the final game of our season before our conference championships."

The next match for the Pioneers will be Friday, April 15 as they will host Cal State Monterey Bay in Hayward at Pioneer Pool. It will be the 2022 regular season finale and will also be Senior Day for Cal State East Bay Women's Water Polo. The first sprint is set for 1 p.m.