#11 Long Beach State 14, Sonoma State 11

ROHNERT PARK -- After Saturday's Aggie Shootout, the Sonoma State women's water polo team returned home to face the 11th-ranked Long Beach State 49ers. The upset-minded Seawolves struck first on a penalty goal, but quickly surrendered the lead to the 49ers thereafter. The Seawolves' offense came alive in this one, eventually getting to within three goals late in the second half, but fell short in the end as the 49ers went on to win by the score of 14-11.  The Seawolves fall to 0-8 while the 49ers rise to 6-5.

Brittny Hummel opened the scoring attack for Sonoma State with a goal just 13 seconds into the game.  Long Beach State then scored three out of the next five goals to close the first quarter with a 4-3 advantage.
    
The 49ers struck quickly in the second quarter, scoring to take the 5-3 lead with 7:30 remaining in the half, but consecutive Seawolf goals by Jessica Stansfield and Nicole Browning tied the game up at 5-5 with just over four minutes left in the first half. Long Beach State would then close the half by scoring two unanswered goals of their own and lead 7-5.
    
By the 3:35 mark of the third quarter, the 49ers had extended their lead to 10-6. That lead would stay at four by the end of the quarter, being 12-8. Sonoma State goals were scored in the third quarter by Stansfield, Noelle Herrera, and Lexii Morabito.
    
The Seawolves later cut the 49er lead to three, twice in the fourth quarter, but that's the closest they would get to pulling off the upset. Browning netted two of her team-high three goals in the fourth while Alexa May added another. Those three goals weren't enough to get the Seawolves back into the game as the lost their 8th straight to open the season, 14-11.
    
Sonoma State has the next 11 days off before heading to San Bernardino to take on the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino on Feb. 28.  First sprint is scheduled for 3:30 pm.