SANTA BARBARA, Calif- The Sonoma State women's water polo team traveled to Santa Barbara for the UCSB Winter Invite this weekend, taking on UC Santa Barbara and Concordia University on day one.  The Seawolves faced UCSB in the first match, losing 10-2, and Concordia University in the second, falling 12-9.


Game 1: SSU-2, UCSB-10
The Sonoma State Women's Water Polo team gave it their all in the first game of the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invite against host UCSB, but came up short in a 10-2 loss.

The Seawolves wouldn't net their first goal until the second quarter until Collette Reid put one in the back of the cage at the 2:29 mark, but would leave them down 4-1 at the end of the first half.
 
The Gauchos would come out firing in the third quarter nailing four in a row in a 5:08 span.  Caitlin Risden would socre the Seawolves second and last goal of the game with :37 left in the third quarter to put the score at 8-2 going into the third quarter.  UCSB would score two more goals in the fourth quarter to end the game at a score of 10-2.

SSU would only see two goals for the match by way of Risden and Ried, scoring one goal each.  On the other side, UCSB's Bryce Writon netted half of the Gauch's goals with 5.  Clay Ologssun and Lauren Martin each had two shots see the back of the cage for the Gauchos.  Bernadette Bevins contributed one goal.

Ariel Lockshaw got the start in the cage for the Seawolves, tallying 12 saves and two steals.  Ruth Milne guarded the cage for the Gauchos saving nine balls from entering.


Game 2: SSU-9, Concordia-12
A back and forth game through three quarters, the Seawolves were in contention to split day one of the Winter Invite.  The Seawolves would draw first blood just 24 seconds into the game on a shot from Natalie Del Carlo, getting off to a quick 1-0 lead.  Concordia would fire back to tie the match at one a piece at 7:12 mark of the first quarter.  The Eagles would score twice more in the first quarter on goals from Jamie Clark and Katheryn Manderino.  However, the Seawolves would answer each goal put up with two of their own by Brittny Hummel and Lindsay Rangel to tie the score at 3 at the end of the first quarter.

SSU would outscore the Eagles 3-1 in the second quarter and would go into halftime with a 6-4 lead on goals from Collette Ried and two from Bridgette Souza.  Concordia would come out fighting in the second half netting four goals to Sonoma's 2 in the third quarter leaving the score knotted at 8 going into the fourth quarter. 

Sonoma State was no match to Concordia's four fourth quarter goals.  The Seawolves could only muster up one goal in the final eight minutes of play as the Eagles completed the come back, winning 12-9.

Souza was the Seawolves top scorer with three goals, while DelCarlo contributed two goals.  Laura Kunz, Rangel, Hummel and Reid each put one ball in the back of the cage.

Getting another start in age for the Seawolves was Ariel Lockshaw, who gave a solid performance with nine saves in the loss.

The Women's Water Polo team will be back in action tomorrow for day two of the UCSB Winter Invite when they take on the Anteaters of UC Irvine at 10:10 a.m, followed by the Broncos of Santa Clara at 1:35 p.m.