ROHNERT PARK -- For 32 minutes on Sunday, the Sonoma State women's water polo found itself in an epic battle of back-and-forth action, but Fresno Pacific's Amber Penney scored her sixth goal of the day with one second on the clock to lift the Sunbirds over the Seawolves, 11-10, in SSU's 2017 home opener at the Dr. G. Edward Rudloff Pool.  Sonoma fell to 3-11 this season while Fresno Pacific, which will join the WWPA next season, improved to 2-5.

The Seawolves also lost twice on Saturday in Davis -- a 15-9 defeat at the hands of No. 24 Cal State Bakersfield before dropping a 19-6 decision to No. 12 UC Davis.  SSU will take an 11-day break from competition before heading south to compete in the Convergence Tournament March 3-4 in Claremont.

Fresno Pacific 11, Sonoma State 10 -- Box Score

After the visiting Sunbirds scored at the end of the first quarter to take a 4-2 lead, Carleigh Robinson threw in a goal to open the second period, and from then on, neither team led by more than one goal the rest of the way, as the teams fought through seven ties and seven lead changes until the final buzzer.

With 3:17 remaining in regulation, FPU's Sam Witt broke a 8-8 tie just 20 seconds before Robinson knotted the score again at 9-9.  The Seawolves stopped the Sunbirds their next possession, thanks to a steal by Nicole Cunningham, and on the return trip to the other end of the pool, SSU drew an exclusion and converted on the ensuing power play thanks to a goal by Lyndsie Williams to put the hosts up 10-9 with 1:41 left in the contest. 

After a timeout, the Sunbirds went down and scored to even the score at 10-10 with 1:26 on the clock.  Both teams traded unsuccessful possessions during the next minute, leaving the ball in Sonoma State's hands with 34 seconds on the game clock and the shot clock turned off.  Out of a Sonoma timeout, FPU was called for an exclusion putting SSU in the power play now with 30 seconds to play. 

With under 10 ticks on the clock, Robinson fired a shot off the post, got her own rebound and attempted a put-back, but Sunbird goalie Kaylin Drum made a save and FPU regained possession with 0:06 left.  After the FPU timeout, Penney delivered the blow, rocketing a shot past SSU keeper Taylor Plorin for the game-winner with 0:01 showing on the clock.

In the end, Williams led Sonoma with four goals, two steals and one assist, Nicole Groat had three goals, one assist and one steal, Robinson had two scores and Lily Carlon assisted on three goals.  Keira Dailey scored the other Seawolf goal in the contest.  Plorin made nine saves in the loss.

Fresno Pacific's Penney finished with six goals and FPU goalie Drum made eight saves.

#12 UC Davis 19, Sonoma State 6 -- Box Score

In Saturday's nightcap against host UC Davis, the Seawolves overcame an early 2-0 deficit to take a 4-3 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the 12th-ranked Aggies went on a 16-2 run the rest of the way, including eight unanswered goals in the final nine minutes of game action for the 19-6 victory.

Robinson had a team-high two goals in the game.  Williams, Taylor Brooks, Groat and Taylor Brown each had one goal.

#24 Cal State Bakersfield 15, Sonoma State 9 -- Box Score

In the first game of the day on Saturday against Cal State Bakersfield, Ellen Peterson tied the game up at 2-2 at the 7:15 mark of the second quarter,  but the Roadrunners responded with seven unanswered goals to lead 9-2 midway through the third period.  The Seawolves outscored CSUB 7-6 the rest of the way, but it wouldn't be enough.

Williams and Groat tied for the team-high in goals with three.  Jordan Williams, Cunningham and Peterson accounted for the other goals against Bakersfield.