Skip To Main Content

CSU Monterey Bay Athletics

Skip to Navigation

Scoreboard desktop

Schedule

All Events
Olivia Centis versus Sonoma State

Otters Win A Thriller To Open WWPA Championship

| By: By Kevin Gilmore (@OtterAthletics)

CSUMB beats Mercyhurst 14–13, falls to #14 UC San Diego 20–5

GENEVA, Ohio — A game–winning dash by freshman Olivia Centis (Beaverton, Ore./West View HS) led Cal State Monterey Bay to a thrilling win to open the 2019 Western Water Polo Association Championship Tournament Friday morning at the Spire Institute. Centis' steal and coast–to–coast sprint with 10 seconds remaining in regulation lifted the Otters over Mercyhurst University 14–13.

No. 14 UC San Diego, the top seed at the championship, came off a morning bye to pull away late for a 20–5 win over CSUMB in the day's final match.

"We did what we needed to do today," said CSUMB Head Coach Emily Schmit.. "Now, we are turning our focus to Saturday and our game against Sonoma."

The Otters and Lakers played a classic in the morning with the lead changing hands four times. Mercyhurst broke a 12–12 tie on a Lindsey Mizrahi goal with 2:19 to play.

That score looked to be the match–winner until senior Marisa Lovos (Tualatin [Ore.] HS) buried a Sarah Smith (Cypress HS) feed with just 26 seconds left to tie the game.

With the Lakers setting up for the final possession, Centis perfectly read a pass from the point by Sara Martin and sprinted the length of the pool with the steal. Her composed finish left Laker goalkeeper Sarah O'Keefe no chance from point blank range.

The Otters kept UCSD within range into the third quarter, trailing just 9–4 when the Tritons went on a torrid run. Fresh from their morning bye, the Tritons out–scored CSUMB 11–1 over the final 14 minutes to pull away.

Lovos matched her career high with five goals and added three assists, three steals a four drawn exclusions against Mercyhurst. She finished the day with seven goals, five steals and six drawn exclusions.

Senior Morgan Tucker (San Diego/Clairemont HS) matched her career high with six goals in the win over Mercyhurst—the second time in three games she has scored six—and finished the day with eight. Freshman Kaitlin Rooney (Morgan Hill/Presentation HS) added two goals, three assists and seven steals, including five takeaways in the win over Mercyhurst.

CSUMB continues play at the WWPA Championship Tournament when it faces Sonoma State Saturday at 1:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. Pacific). The Otters and Seawolves split their regular season meetings, with each defending their home pools.
 




 
GO OTTERS!




 
Print Friendly Version

Related Videos

Related Stories