2014 WWPA Women's Championship Tournament Central
#13 UC San Diego 14, Sonoma State 5 -- Box Score

(Written by Gian D'Ambra, SSU Sports Information Student Assistant)

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- Noelle Herrera added two more goals on Saturday, but the Sonoma State women's water polo team was upended by 13th-ranked UC San Diego in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Women's Championship semifinals, 14-5.  The Seawolves (8-22) will play for third place in the WWPA tournament on Sunday at 11:00 am against Cal State Monterey Bay.  The Tritons (25-10) will play Cal State East Bay for the conference championship and the automatic bid into the NCAA tournament on Sunday at 1:00 pm.

Nicole Browning netted the lone Seawolf goal in the first quarter, which ended 3-1 in favor of the Tritons. Noelle Herrera, continuing her scoring presence in this tournament, put in the Seawolves' only goal of the second quarter. The Tritons took an 8-2 lead into the halftime break, looking for a sweep of the Seawolves on the season and an advancement to the WWPA championship match.
    
Sonoma State started strong in the third quarter, immediately cutting into their deficit in under 40 seconds. At the 7:22 mark of the period, Herrera scored her second goal of the game to make the score 8-3. Three out of the last four goals of the third quarter were then scored by the Tritons. The only other Seawolf goal belonged to the only senior on the team, Caitlin Risden. UCSD held an insurmountable 11-4 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
    
That lead would extend to 14-4 until Shannon Baer netted her only goal of the game with just :29 left in regulation. Though she allowed 14 goals, goalkeeper Andrea Mallul saved 12 shots in this game. The offense couldn't compete with UCSD, and the Seawolves fell 14-5.