CLOVIS, Calif. – The final regular season match of 2024 for Cal State East Bay women's water polo took place Saturday at Clovis East High School Pool, as the Pioneers staved off a comeback by Fresno Pacific in WWPA action. Luna Sarmiento broke a tie with the game-winning goal late in the match to give the Pioneers a 9-8 victory.
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MATCH SUMMARY |
The first quarter was even at 2-2 until Bailey Barlow found the net with one second left in the quarter for a 3-2 lead heading into the second quarter.
A 2-1 advantage for CSUEB in the second quarter, with goals from Barlow and Alex Andrist, took the Pioneers into halftime with a 5-3 lead.
The lead only grew through the third quarter with Pioneer goals from Sarmiento, Rachel Heredia and Hope Grantham, while FPU found the net only once in the third, as CSUEB took an 8-4 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Sunbirds scored four straight goals in the fourth quarter, coming back and tie the match at 8-8 with less than two minutes remaining.
Late in the match, a power play was awarded to the Pioneers. With 1:20 remaining in regulation, Sarmiento scored what became the game-winning goal on the power play, as the Pioneers finished the regular season with a thrilling 9-8 win against FPU.
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NOTABLE STATS |
- In net, Daniela Passoni made 12 saves, as she reached the 1,200 mark for her career.
- Scoring two goals each for the Pioneers were Sarmiento, Barlow and Audrey Dexter.
- Sarmiento also had two assists, along with Heredia and Jordan Jarandson. One of Jarandson's assists was on the game-winning goal.
- Grantham drew two exclusions.
- With the win, Cal State East Bay finishes WWPA play with a 5-1 record. However, the Pioneers can only clinch the top seed in the WWPA West Division if Biola loses to FPU on Friday, April 19. Biola would own a tiebreaker over the Pioneers by way of better win percentage against common non-conference opponents in the regular season.
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RECORDS |
Cal State East Bay: 17-11, 5-1 WWPA
Fresno Pacific: 10-9, 2-3 WWPA
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UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
With the 2024 regular season wrapped up, the next match for the Pioneers takes place on Friday, April 26. Start time will depend on the exact seed the Pioneers are, but the opponents are narrowed down to either Salem or Gannon. The 2024 WWPA Women's Water Polo Championship will be played at Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center in La Mirada, California from April 26-28.
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