Water polo player earns conference Player of the Week honors

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Jayme Pekarske made 27 saves in two games and held No. 13 Indiana to just two goals in the first half of an eventual 8-5 loss. (Photo: Michael Chen)

  • March 7, 2012
  • By Kelly Hayes

Following a split weekend against a pair of Division I programs, Cal State East Bay water polo player Jayme Pekarske collected WWPA Co-Player of the Week honors on Tuesday. Pekarske helped the Pioneers pick up a win over Colorado State before holding No. 13 Indiana to just eight goals in a close loss during the Colorado State Tournament last weekend.

Pekarske opened the weekend with 11 saves, two steals and an assist in a 12-10 victory over the host Rams. The victory was East Bay’s third over a Division I program this year and fourth against a WWPA team. The senior continued to dominate in the cage in an 8-5 loss to No. 13 Indiana on Sunday. Pekarske held the Hoosiers to just two goals in the first half and sent the game into the fourth quarter with the Pioneers trailing by just two. Though IU broke out in the final period to pick up the win, Pekarske finished the game with a season-best 16 saves. Pekarske also held the Hoosiers scoreless in the first quarter.

East Bay has now posted six wins over the year including three wins by three or fewer goals. The Pioneers are tied for fourth in the WWPA and have four wins against conference opponents to rank second in that category. Pekarske shared the award with CSU Bakersfield’s Janelle Shelby, who led the Roadrunners to three wins with 12 goals in four games last week.

The Player of the Week honor is the second of Pekarske's career and fifth for the Pioneers since they joined the WWPA during the 2009-10 season. Pekarske also joins men’s basketball players Mark Samuels and Roshun Wynne, softball player Sara Holdridge and golfer Chris Herzog as the fifth East Bay student-athlete to earn a conference player of the week award this season.

Cal State East bay is back in action this weekend when it returns home to play host to Cal State Monterey Bay. The Pioneers and Otters are set for a 12 p.m. first sprint at Pioneer Pool on Saturday.