Cal State East Bay 8, Sonoma State 7 -- Box Score

2014 WWPA Women's Championship Tournament Central

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- The Sonoma State women's water polo team led by three goals with just over three minutes remaining in the third period, but Cal State East Bay went on a 6-2 run over the final 11 minutes, including the game-winner to beat the buzzer in the fourth quarter as the Seawolves (7-21) suffered a heartbreaking 8-7 loss to the Pioneers (16-13) on day one of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Women's Championships Friday in La Jolla.

Sonoma State, the No. 4 seed in the WWPA tournament, will play a loser-out game against fifth-seeded Cal State San Bernardino on Saturday at 11:00 am.  Meanwhile, No. 3 seed Cal State East Bay will face off against No. 2 seed Cal State Monterey Bay at 1:00 pm Saturday for the right to play in the WWPA title game on Sunday.

Lexii Morabito scored with three seconds left on the clock in the third quarter to put the Seawolves up 6-5 heading into the final period of regulation.  However, two unanswered goals by the Pioneers gave them a one-goal lead before Jessica Becker knotted the game up at 7-7 with 2:25 on the clock.  It would come down to the final seconds and that's when CSUEB's Casey Rushforth deflected home the game-winning goal as time expired to lift the Pioneers to the opening-day win.

Cal State East Bay led for only 15 seconds of game time over the first three quarters of play.  An Olivia Mackell goal with 19 seconds remaining in the opening frame gave the Pioneers their only lead until the midway point of the fourth quarter. Morabito scored two of her game-high three goals in the final five seconds of two different quarters including an equalizer with four ticks left in the first.

The Seawolves took a 5-2 lead out of halftime with three unanswered goals from Carleigh Robinson, Morabito and Becker. The final two of the scoring run came courtesy of 6-on-5 chances and were the only player advantage conversions of the game for Sonoma State in nine opportunities. It would prove to play a key role in Friday's outcome as Cal State East Bay went 4-for-5 in the game including a game-tying fourth quarter penalty shot from Sara Hudyn.

After falling behind by its largest deficit of the game Cal State East Bay responded with goals on back-to-back possessions. Ritter converted a 6-on-5 scoring chance followed by Allison Zell's team-high second score of the game. Simonne Call pulled the Pioneers even briefly with 17 seconds left in the third before Morabito put the Seawolves ahead with only three seconds left heading into the fourth quarter.

After Hudyn tied the game with a penalty shot goal, the teams traded scores to make it 7-7 with 2:25 remaining in regulation. The Seawolves drew their ninth exclusion of the match and earned a 6-on-5 scoring chance with the potential to take the lead in their final offensive possession.  Cal State East Bay got the stop and immediately called time out to set up the eventual game-winning play.

Pioneers goalkeeper Marrina Nation made 10 saves in the win including five stops during a second quarter shutout. Seawolf netminder Andrea Mallul stopped nine shots in the loss.