HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay women's water polo team came out quick scoring in the first 37 seconds of the game, but the Pioneers took advantage of playing at home making a second half comeback to take a 10-9 decision over the Otters at Cal State East Bay.
 
The game started physical with CSUMB drawing two five-meter penalty shots within the first eight minutes of play. The Otters outscoring East Bay 4-2 at the end of the first quarter.
 
Senior Katie Sowul (Anaheim/Esperana HS) came out of the break and scored her second goal of the day off a pass from freshman Hayley Burke (San Diego/Patrick Henry HS) extending the Otters lead. CSUEB held the Otters off the remainder of the period to go into half with the Otters lead broken down to just one point, at 5-4.
 
The Pioneers outscored the Otters in the final two quarters to tie it up and take the lead for the first time of the game in the thrird quarter. The Otters didn't give up and fought to tie it up with a 6-on-5 goal scored by Alex Tyrrell (Wildomar/Elsinore HS) with just four minutes remaining in the game but the Pioneers used the home pool advantage and pulled off the one goal win.
 
CSUMB only shot 1-for-6 on 6-on-5 situations off of earned ejections.
 
The Otters where led by Sowul with four goals.  Tyrrell added another three, and Nikki Smart (Clovis/Buchanan HS) added in the final two to the Otters total.
 
The Otter water polo team returns to the Otter Tank to host the club team from UC Santa Cruz on Saturday, March 17 for a 1:00 p.m. start time.
 
CSUMB          4 – 1 – 2 – 2 = 9
CSUEB           2 – 2 – 4 – 2 = 10
 
CSUMB GOALS: Sowul 4, Tyrrell 3, Smart 2
CSUMB SAVES: Jennings 10