2014 UCSD Triton Invitational Central

Hartwick 16, Sonoma State 9 -- Box Score
Cal State East Bay 10, Sonoma State 9 -- Box Score

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- After dropping a 16-9 contest to Hartwick College to open day two of the UCSD Triton Invitational, the Sonoma State women's water polo team would play fellow Western Water Polo Association (WWPA)-foe Cal State East Bay in the 15th-place match, but in the end, the Seawolves would drop a close 10-9 decision to the Pioneers to remain winless on the year (0-5).

The second and final day of the annual UCSD Triton Invitational was opened at 8 am by the Sonoma State women's water polo team against the Hawks of Hartwick College. For the third straight game Jessica Stansfield scored the Seawolves first goal, this time at the 5:19 mark of the first quarter, giving SSU the early 1-0 lead. That would be the last time Sonoma State led, eventually falling by the score of 16-9.

After the opening goal by Stansfield, the Hawks went on a 3-0 run in the next three minutes. Lexii Morabito then cut the two-goal deficit in half with a netted shot with 1:32 left in the first. That would be the closest the Seawolves got the rest of the game as the Hawks pulled away and led 9-6 at the half.
    
The Hawks then came out with six straight goals to start the second half while blanking SSU in the third quarter, extending their lead to 15-6 early in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Noelle Herrera got into the scoring column with her first goal of the day with 6:36 left in regulation. She, along with Caitlin Risden, would add one more goal each later in the fourth.
    
Sonoma State played thier final game of this weekend's Invitational at 1:20 p.m. against the Cal State East Bay Pioneers. As per usual, Stansfield netted the Seawolves first goal to tie the game at 1-1 with 1:37 left in the first quarter. This back and forth game saw three ties and the Pioneers largest lead at merely three goals. But, in the end, the Pioneers came out on top 10-9.
    
After the 1-1 tie, the Pioneers went up 4-2 with 6:36 left in the first. In the next minute and a half, the Seawolves' Brittny Hummell put in two consecutive goals to tie the game at 4-4. CSUEB then answered with three goals in a row to take their largest lead of the day at 7-4. But, SSU was determined and wasn't going away easy, cutting the lead to 7-5 by halftime.
    
The Seawolves won their only quarter of the weekend in the third to tie the game at 8-8 entering the fourth quarter. Hummel, Stansfield, and Morabito all netted goals in the third while Kim Covert only allowed one ball get by her. The Pioneers scored the first two goals of the fourth and were up 10-8 with just under a minute left until Hummel scored once again to make the score 10-9. Sonoma State failed to tie it up in the final seconds and ended the Invitational at 0-4.
    
Sonoma State next faces UC Davis and CSU Bakersfield on Saturday, February 15 at the Aggie Shootout in Davis, CA. First sprint against UC Davis is at 11:45 am and the CSU Bakersfield match starts at 5 pm.