SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.—It wasn't the ideal start to a six-game Southern California road trip, but the Cal State Monterey Bay women's water polo will take the victory they got. CSUMB's victory over WWPA foe Cal State San Bernardino was its first conference win in three tries this season.
 
Jackie Walters (San Diego, Calif./La Jolla HS) led CSUMB with six goals on the afternoon. Julie Cooper (Wildomar, Calif./Elsinore HS) and Kylie Fields (San Jose, Calif./Pioneer HS) also had strong performances with four goals each.
 
Game 1: CSUMB 10, CSUSB 8
 
With both teams facing a must-win type game in WWPA play, this one was competitive. The Coyotes got on the board first but CSUMB responded with a goal each from Cooper and Alex Tyrrell (Wildomar, Calif./Elsinore HS) to close the first quarter with a 2-1 advantage.
 
CSUSB fought right back with two goals midway through the second quarter to jump ahead 3-2. A combined attack of Fields and Walters led to three unanswered Otter goals before the half and a 5-3 lead.
 
The Coyotes won the third quarter as the game went into the fourth with the score tied at 6-6. This is where the Otters made their most important run of the season thus far. In the span of 2:13 CSUMB scored three times to take a 9-6 lead. From there, the Otters held on for a 10-8 WWPA conference victory.

CSUMB           2-3-1-4= 10
CSUSB            1-2-3-2= 8 

CSUMB GOALS: Julie Cooper 3, Jackie Walters 3, Kylie Fields 2, Alex Tyrrell 1, Samantha Whitecotten 1. 

CSUMB SAVES: Amanda Jennings 11. 
 
Game 2: Azusa Pacific 9, CSUMB 8
 
Perhaps gassed from the competitive first game of the day, the Otters fell to Azusa Pacific in a non-conference match. Midway through the third quarter the Otters found themselves down 7-4 to host APU.
 
CSUMB would show their ability to fight when facing adversity. An early fourth quarter goal by Nicole Koorndyk (Claremont, Calif./ Calremont HS) brought the Otters to within two at 8-6. Two more CSUMB goals tied the contest at 8-8.
 
The comeback fell short when APU's Taylor Whitney scored one of her game-high five goals in dramatic fashion with :54 to go. The Cougars held on defense and earned a 9-8 victory.

CSUMB           3-1-1-3= 8
APU                 3-2-3-1= 9

CSUMB GOALS: Jackie Walters 3, Kylie Fields 2, Julie Cooper 1, Nicole Koorndyk 1, Samantha Whitecotten 1. 

CSUMB SAVES: Paige Robinson 4. 

The Otters return to action tomorrow morning at the Loyola Marymount Invitational with a non-conference match with No. 12 Princeton at 10:15 a.m. Later in the day they'll face Whittier College, first sprint is scheduled for 2 p.m.