April 6, 2008
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The No. 6 California women's water polo team picked up an important Mountain Pacific Sports Federation 8-6 victory over No. 17 UC Santa Barbara on Sunday afternoon at UCSB's Rec Cen Pool. The two teams tied the score three times before the Golden Bears scored two unanswered goals in the final period to win the game. Cal improves to 15-8 overall and 6-5 in the MPSF while the Gauchos fall to 4-16 and 0-10 in conference play.
Senior Molly Hayes won the sprint and sophomore Meghan Corso got the Bears on the board first off an assist from junior Paige Lorenz. It was Lorenz's turn to score next thanks to a pass from sophomore driver Erin Sully. Senior Katya Eadington closed out the period with a goal to give the Bears a 3-0 advantage. Senior goalie Heather Stuart only had to make three saves in the first quarter as the Cal defense limited the Gauchos to just four shots on goal.
The Gauchos opened the second stanza with a 2-0 scoring run with goals from Kathryn Nelson and Lindsay Knott. Corso passed to Grace Reynolds, who was in front of the goal for Cal's next score. With the Bears holding a 4-2 lead, Christie Clark scored two consecutive goals for the Gauchos to knot the score at four. Cal sophomore Stephanie Schnugg scored the final goal of the half with a lift shot off an assist from Darby Anderson.
The third quarter was a quiet one for both sides with the only goal coming from Knott, who tied the game at 5-5. Anderson scored the first goal of the final quarter to return a one-point lead to Cal, 6-5. Clark returned the favor on UCSB's next possession to tie the score, 6-6. Hayes went right to left off an Anderson assist and Corso scored her second goal of the game to give Cal the final 8-6 lead.
The Golden Bears host their final home match of the 2008 campaign next Saturday against Cal State Bakersfield at Spieker Aquatics Complex.
Score by Period 1 2 3 4 F California 3 2 0 3 8 UC Santa Barbara 0 4 1 1 6
California goals: Meghan Corso 2, Darby Anderson 1, Katya Eadington 1, Molly Hayes 1, Paige Lorenz 1, Grace Reynolds 1, Stephanie Schnugg 1
UC Santa Barbara goals: Christie Clark 3, Lindsay Knott 2, Kathryn Nelson
California saves: Heather Stuart 9
UC Santa Barbara saves: Jenny Gonzales 9
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