Water polo splits home doubleheader
March 18, 2016
The Cal State East Bay Water Polo team had a battle with the weather in their two games on Thursday.
The Pioneers won their first game against Azusa Pacific (5-13 overall) 10-7, but their seven game winning streak came to an end in their second game against Hartwick (13-7 overall, 1-0 conference) 16-11.
Throughout the first quarter, East Bay and Hartwick were back and forth, capitalizing on opportunities. Thirty seconds into the game Brandi Carroll scored a goal, and Hartwick responded nearly fifteen seconds later. Carroll then scored another goal in the quarter, along with two meter Taylor Cross and utility player Sabrina Hazer, East Bay leading 4-3.
Despite the back and forth exchanges in the first quarter, East Bay slowed down in the second quarter as Hartwick kept the Pioneers scoreless and took a lead East Bay would never come back from.
“Hartwick did a really good job on capitalizing on our small mistakes and that is what put them ahead,” said junior driver Amy Chinn.
By the end of the third quarter, East Bay put in 3 goals, but it was not enough to stop the Hawks as they trailed 12-7. “We did a great job playing them 6 vs. 6 and 5 vs. 6, but they just hit the back of the net more than we did,” said Chinn.
East Bay would end the stormy afternoon unable to make a comeback, falling to the Hawks 16-11. Taylor Cross and Brandi Carroll tied for most goals with 3 each, along with Sabrina Hatzer, Casey Rushforth, Nayiri Kechichian, Rocio Fecembeck and Tori Dettloff, each adding a goal. The team’s goalkeeper, Nikki Vaughan had 12 saves.
Cross leads the team in shots and goals with 80 and 29 respectively. Hatzer and Dettloff both have 26 goals this season and Rushforth leads the team in assists with 28.
The loss put East Bay at 10-7 overall and they remain 0-1 in conference play, but they still have six games to compete in.
The team is now preparing for the Indiana Fluid Five tournament on March 19. Chinn expressed, “We can win all our games out there, we just need to continue to communicate, correct our small mistakes, and keep pushing forward.”
The Pioneers will travel to Bloomington, Indiana for the tournament where they will face #17 Indiana University (11-5), Gannon (3-7) and Mercyhurst (4-6).
