TOUGH COMPETITION

Friday, January 23

Santa Barbara, CA

7:00 PM

California Baptist University

Arizona State

1/23/2015 10:20:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

By: Maribel Ramirez, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — After competing with two of the best teams, California Baptist University headed to Santa Barbara for a two-day invitational. The Lancers battled seventh-ranked San Jose State in a 18-8 loss and fifth-ranked Arizona State to a 15-9 defeat at the Santa Barbara Winter Invite Friday afternoon.

Helping the Lancers score were Hannah Evans, Valerie Spezzaferri and Mallory Montano, each finishing the day with three goals each. Jessica Castellano, Paizlee Dryer, Samantha Banks and Courtney Menard added a pair of goals a piece for CBU.

Meghan Rowland had a good day in the cage with a total of 17 saves, 11 of which came against Arizona State.

"Meghan had a great game in goal with 11 saves," head coach Jon Miller said. "Very positive looking forward to tomorrow."

SJSU scored the first six goals in the first contest, but Castellano ended the run with her first goal of the season. Castellano scored again on exclusion, but the Spartans built up their lead to 12-2.

"We got down big early and could not find our rhythm," said Miller. "We started playing better in the second half but we have yet to put together a full game."

Down 12-4 in the third period, Dryer and Evans scored a goal each while Montano pulled a goal on exclusion 15-5 in the last 25 seconds remaining.

Giving their best effort in the fourth period and netting three goals within eight minutes off goals from Evans, Dryer and Menard, CBU looked to start putting together a comeback. SJSU squashed it, however, responding back with four goals and taking the game 18-8 result.

In the nightcap, the Lancers battled it out till the very end against the Sun Devils. CBU posted two goals in the first quarter with the help of Spezzaferri and Banks, but found itself trailing 5-2.

"We played really well, a lot of the things we have been working on in practice started clicking," Miller said.

With six minutes remaining in the second quarter, Spezzaferri scored her second goal against the Sun Devils. Evans and Menard also notched goals to pull within 8-5.

The Sun Devils scored twice more before Banks added a goal on exclusion. Spezzaferri also found the back of the cage with less than three minutes remaining, but ASU had already established a 12-7 cushion. CBU's final goals came from Montano, including a goal a minute before the match ended as the Lancers fell 15-9 to ASU.

CBU continues to face some of the best competition in NCAA Saturday when it takes on No. 2-ranked UCLA for the second time this season. The Lancers also face Sonoma State to conclude the UCSB Winter Invite. CBU returns home to hosts the Lancer Mini Invite on Jan. 31 the following weekend.