January 20, 2011

SEASIDE, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay women's water polo dropped a 14-8 decision to NCAA Division I UC Santa Barbara on Thursday afternoon at the Otter Tank.

Senior #Chloe McRae# and junior #Nikki Smart# each notched hat tricks in the home opener. Senior #Tanya Mullen# and junior #Sarah Chafi# contributed a goal apiece. Smart went 3-for-3 on winning the sprint.

After Smart won the sprint, McRae put the ball in the back of the goal 30 seconds later to put CSUMB in the lead, 1-0.  The Gauchos answered with two quick goals before Mullen's shot tied it up after getting past UCSB's goalie.  The first period ended at 3-2 with UCSB in the lead following a goal in the final minute.

Both teams remained scoreless in nearly the first two minutes of the second period until UCSB's Kathryn Nelson scored her first of four goals of the game.  McRae picked up her second goal at the 5:44 mark to close the gap to 4-3.  UCSB scored four straight goals before Smart recorded her first goal with 2:14 remaining in the half to close it at 8-4.

Smart scored back-to-back goals to cut the Gauchos lead to 8-6 with 4:26 remaining in the third quarter.  UCSB rallied with four consecutive goals in the final four minutes to enter the fourth quarter at 12-6.  

Both goals in the final quarter by McRae and Chafi came off of 6-on-5 situations.

CSUMB recorded five field blocks and six steals.

The Otters travel to Fresno on Saturday, Jan. 22 to take on Azusa Pacific and Fresno Pacific.