FULLERTON, Calif. – The Cal State Monterey Bay women's water polo team opened play at the Titan Invitational, showing early season toughness in the two games on Friday at the Fullerton Aquatics Center.

The Otters took host Cal State Fullerton all the way to sudden death, but eventually succumbed to a 9-8 defeat to the Titans. In the backend of the first day of tournament play, CSUMB raced out to an early 3-0 lead against No. 23-ranked San Diego State, but could not hold on and fell to the Aztecs, 20-8.

Grace Mensing played every minute in the cage for the Otters as Autumn Day tallied a team-high seven points in the two games.

GAME 1

The teams were in lockstep the entire game as both squads went into the third quarter tied at four with two goals apiece in each of the two periods.

The Titans ended the third with a slim 5-4 lead that led to a dramatic fourth period. Katie Vaupel scored her first goal of the contest with 1:56 remaining in regulation, but CSUF extended the game on an Annabelle Sherman goal with just three seconds left.

After a scoreless first overtime, the second extra frame doubled-down on the last-second heroics.

Vaupel recorded her second tally, this time in the closing minute as she found the back of the net with 16 seconds left, but once again, Sherman was a thorn in the side of the Otters as she scored with just one tick left on the clock.

The Titans would win the game in sudden death. The sudden death game was the first for the Otters since April 13, 2019, against Fresno Pacific.

Mensing was credited with 13 saves in all 39 minutes of play as Kaya Eaton and Vaupel had two goals each.

GAME 2

After logging a late morning game that ran into triple overtime, the Otters came out of the gate firing against the No. 23-ranked team in the country, taking an early 3-0 lead.

The Aztecs rallied to even the score at three after the first period and after the Otters took the 4-3 lead early in the second, SDSU posted an 8-1 frame to eventually pull away.

Three Otters rattled the net multiple times as Allyson Ainsworth joined Day and Eaton with a pair of goals.

THEY'VE GOT NEXT: The second and final day of the tournament continues in familiar fashion as both teams will square off again on Saturday. The Otters take on the Titans at 10:30 a.m. and conclude the Southern California opening weekend trip against the Aztecs at 3:30 p.m.