Skip To Main Content

CSU Monterey Bay Athletics

Skip to Navigation

Scoreboard desktop

Schedule

All Events
Marisa Lovos vs. Cal Baptist
Marie Obsuna/ASU

Two More Solid Efforts Lead To Saturday Split In Fresno

| By: By Kevin Gilmore (@OtterKevin)

Otters beat host Fresno Pacific, 11–9, fall to No. 25 Azusa Pacific 9–4

FRESNO, Calif. — The young Cal State Monterey Bay water polo team continued to flash its potential Saturday afternoon by splitting a pair of matches in the Central Valley. The Otters played No. 25 ranked Azusa Pacific tough before falling late, 9–4, in their first match before then beat host Fresno Pacific University, 11–9.

Both matches were played at the Sunnyside Aquatics Center.

Senior Morgan Tucker (San Diego/Clairemont HS) enjoyed a big day for the Otters with six goals, including a career–high five in the win over Fresno Pacific. Fellow senior Marisa Lovos (Tualatin [Ore.] HS) scored four goals for the first time in her collegiate career against FPU and also had a marker in the Azusa Pacific game.

"Both games we started off really strong," said CSUMB Head Coach Emily Schmit. "Offensively, we are doing a great job of creating opportunities. Defensively, we learned from last weekend and you could really see that in today's games."

The Otters were thinking upset early when they scored the game's first three goals against Azusa Pacific. The Cougars rallied to tied the score at 3–3 by halftime and scored the first two goals of the third period to take a 5–3 lead.

Lovos gave the Otters life by beating the third period horn to trim the deficit to 5–4. But Azusa turned it on over the final six minutes, scoring four times to put the match on ice.

A natural hat trick by Tucker in the first 2:09 of the match got CSUMB off to another hot start against FPU. The Otters eventually expanded their lead to 5–1 before the Sunbirds scratched their way back to tie it at 8–8 late in the third quarter.

The Otter seniors responded to the challenge by scoring three times midway through the final period, with Lovos netting two and Tucker one, to seal the win.

Shelby Stephens (Stockton/Lincoln HS) went the distance in goal once again, making 12 total saves Saturday, including eight against APU.

The Otters will take next week off before returning to action Feb. 23 at the Santa Clara mini tournament. The Otters will face host Santa Clara University at 9 a.m. and nationally–ranked UC Davis at 12:30 p.m.




 
GO OTTERS!




 
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories