Pioneers Sweep Pair of Games in Seaside

  • April 3, 2010



SEASIDE, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay women's water polo team used wins over Concordia and Cal State Monterey Bay to complete the two-game sweep in Seaside on Saturday. The Pioneers (20-9, 9-1 WWPA) edged Concordia 12-11 before avenging an earlier loss to the Otters with an 11-9 victory to cap the day.

After the win in game one, East Bay opened the scoring against CSUMB when junior Danielle Comforti put away a goal in the first minute. The Otters responded to tie the score 1-1 before the Pioneers got back-to-back goals from junior Tristan Kennedy-Donohue and freshman Chelsie Bryan to take a 3-1 lead. Monterey Bay answered with a pair of goals to end the first quarter locked in a 3-3 draw.

The Otters continued to build momentum in the second frame, holding the Pioneers scoreless for over six minutes while adding another two goals to take their first lead, 5-3. East Bay ended the half on a 3-0 run, however, as Kennedy-Donohue added her second and third goals in a 40-second span and senior Jenna Casady put CSUEB up 6-5 to end the half.

Junior Liz Warren gave the Pioneers a 7-5 advantage just 40 seconds into the third quarter, but Monterey Bay responded with a pair of goals to tie the game 7-7 with 2:12 left in the third. After Warren scored her second of the game to give East Bay am 8-7 lead, the Otters' Katie Sowul tied things up at eight goals apiece with her score in the final 10 seconds of the period.

Cal State East Bay out-scored the Otters 3-1 in the final quarter to secure the win. After freshman Claire Pierce put the Pioneers up 9-8, Kennedy-Donohue notched her fourth goal of the game to give East Bay the 10-8 lead. Though Monterey Bay drew within one on a goal from Heather Penna with 4:05 to go, Casady putaway her second goal of the game to put the Pioneers up 11-9 and finish off the win.

Kennedy-Donohue paced Cal State East Bay with four goals on the day, while Warren and Casady each notched a pair. In goal, senior Lauren Merrill stopped eight shots in the win. Chloe McRae led the Otters with four goals of her own, while goalies Sarah Ford and Christina Vournas combined for 12 saves.

The Pioneers return to action on Friday, April 9 when they play host to UC San Diego for their final home game of the season. Cal State East Bay will honor seniors Lauren Griffin, Brianna Finney, Merrill and Casady prior to the match with the Tritons, which is set for a 5 p.m. start at Pioneer Pool.