Saturday, April 22
Azusa, Calif.
11:00 AM
California Baptist University
11
at
10
Azusa Pacific
Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez
Lancers Win Late Over Cougars
4/22/2017 2:31:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
GLENDORA, Calif. – There was a playoff atmosphere in California Baptist University's regular-season finale Saturday with Golden Coast Conference-rival Azusa Pacific. After falling behind in the first half, the Lancers controlled the second half and executed late for an 11-10 overtime victory on the road at Citrus College.
Two-meter defender Jessica Castellano showcased her offense and scored more than half of CBU's goals, with a total of six and added two assists to push her team over the top. It gave the Lancers a regular-season record of 17-12 overall, 3-4 in conference record, while the Cougars enter the postseason at 13-13, 3-4.
"She stepped up in a huge way," Coach Jon Miller said of Castellano. "She shot confidently. Obviously six goals is a huge day, and we needed every single one of them."
Castellano was quick to push the praise for her performance.
"Shoutout to everyone else for helping me, the people who came back on defense so I had energy to get on my legs and the people who drove in to open up that area for me," Castellano said. "They kept dropping and I was really unsure why, but shoutout to my teammates for taking defenders and leaving me open."
It was sophomore Lizette Perez who netted the final goal of the game with 30 seconds left in overtime. The sophomore added three assists in the win, and punched in the game-winner after she won a scrum in front of the cage for a loose ball off a rebound of another shot from Castellano.
Seniors Paizlee Dreyer and Valerie Spezzaferri each scored two goals and forced two steals in the game, while Spezzaferri notched two assists, as well. Lina Medeiros played big in the waning seconds to secure the win, finishing with 12 saves, three steals and an assist in the cage.
All the dramatics should serve the Lancers well headed into the Golden Coast Conference Tournament next week. The final seedings for the GCC Championships are yet to be decided, with APU, CBU and Santa Clara all tied for fourth in the conference standings at 3-4.
"It showed a lot of resolve," Miller said. "There were a lot of emotional swings and to be able to finish the game and get stops when we needed to was big. This shows we can finish and win a close game at the end in overtime. We're confident we can step up going into the conference tournament, knowing we've been close with every team we might face."
After trailing in the first half, the Lancers took control right away in overtime. Spezzaferri won the opening sprint and the ball worked its way around to Dreyer, who dropped in a lob shot goal off a Castellano assist.
It gave CBU a 9-8 lead 17 seconds into overtime, but the Cougars answered back to tie the game. With 1:27 to go in the first overtime period, Dreyer returned the favor and found Castellano open in the middle of the pool for a goal that bounced off the right post and into the left pocket of the cage.
CBU took its 10-9 edge into the sixth and final overtime period. Azusa Pacific evened things up again with 1:40 to play, but the Lancers refused to let the game slip away.
On the next trip down the pool, Castellano fired another shot that was saved by the APU goalie. Perez worked her way into the perfect spot to grab the rebound, spin and push in the go-ahead goal with 30 seconds to play.
There was still time for a Cougar response, but Medeiros came up big in the cage and blocked an APU shot out of bounds with 16 seconds remaining. The senior then secured the win with a steal with about 10 seconds to play.
It brought CBU all the way back from a three-goal deficit, 5-2, with just over three minutes left before halftime. Dreyer started the Lancers' comeback when she lobbed in a beautiful goal off a Castellano pass with 12 seconds left in the first half.
"We were never really out of the game, we were just down by a couple," Castellano said. "It's APU, it's a rival, so this was not a game to lose.
"It was much needed, we really needed this win for momentum going into conference. This really helped solidify us. We know we can play with any of these teams."
About a minute into the half, Madison Gonzales forced an APU turnover and sparked a counter attack and man-advantage opportunity after Annie Eubanks drew an ejection. Castellano finished at the other end off a pass from Allie Coleman. It made it 5-4 APU a minute, eight seconds into the half.
Castellano scored again less than a minute later to tie things again. Spezzaferri forced another tie at 6-6, with 33 seconds left in the third, when she forced a steal, drew an ejection and then scored on the counter after an outlet from Medeiros.
Fifty-nine seconds into the fourth quarter, Castellano hit a bar-in goal from deep to give the Lancers their first lead, 7-6. CBU took an 8-6 advantage when Castellano threw another one off the post and in with 5:40 left in regulation.
About half of Castellano's goals were of the picture-perfect, bar-in variety – just don't ask her for her secret to success.
"I feel like I've had kind of a rough season on offense where it hasn't gone my way, but today they were going in and I was pumped," Castellano said. "I don't know how, it just happened."
BOX SCORE
Two-meter defender Jessica Castellano showcased her offense and scored more than half of CBU's goals, with a total of six and added two assists to push her team over the top. It gave the Lancers a regular-season record of 17-12 overall, 3-4 in conference record, while the Cougars enter the postseason at 13-13, 3-4.
"She stepped up in a huge way," Coach Jon Miller said of Castellano. "She shot confidently. Obviously six goals is a huge day, and we needed every single one of them."
Castellano was quick to push the praise for her performance.
"Shoutout to everyone else for helping me, the people who came back on defense so I had energy to get on my legs and the people who drove in to open up that area for me," Castellano said. "They kept dropping and I was really unsure why, but shoutout to my teammates for taking defenders and leaving me open."
It was sophomore Lizette Perez who netted the final goal of the game with 30 seconds left in overtime. The sophomore added three assists in the win, and punched in the game-winner after she won a scrum in front of the cage for a loose ball off a rebound of another shot from Castellano.
Seniors Paizlee Dreyer and Valerie Spezzaferri each scored two goals and forced two steals in the game, while Spezzaferri notched two assists, as well. Lina Medeiros played big in the waning seconds to secure the win, finishing with 12 saves, three steals and an assist in the cage.
All the dramatics should serve the Lancers well headed into the Golden Coast Conference Tournament next week. The final seedings for the GCC Championships are yet to be decided, with APU, CBU and Santa Clara all tied for fourth in the conference standings at 3-4.
"It showed a lot of resolve," Miller said. "There were a lot of emotional swings and to be able to finish the game and get stops when we needed to was big. This shows we can finish and win a close game at the end in overtime. We're confident we can step up going into the conference tournament, knowing we've been close with every team we might face."
After trailing in the first half, the Lancers took control right away in overtime. Spezzaferri won the opening sprint and the ball worked its way around to Dreyer, who dropped in a lob shot goal off a Castellano assist.
It gave CBU a 9-8 lead 17 seconds into overtime, but the Cougars answered back to tie the game. With 1:27 to go in the first overtime period, Dreyer returned the favor and found Castellano open in the middle of the pool for a goal that bounced off the right post and into the left pocket of the cage.
CBU took its 10-9 edge into the sixth and final overtime period. Azusa Pacific evened things up again with 1:40 to play, but the Lancers refused to let the game slip away.
On the next trip down the pool, Castellano fired another shot that was saved by the APU goalie. Perez worked her way into the perfect spot to grab the rebound, spin and push in the go-ahead goal with 30 seconds to play.
There was still time for a Cougar response, but Medeiros came up big in the cage and blocked an APU shot out of bounds with 16 seconds remaining. The senior then secured the win with a steal with about 10 seconds to play.
It brought CBU all the way back from a three-goal deficit, 5-2, with just over three minutes left before halftime. Dreyer started the Lancers' comeback when she lobbed in a beautiful goal off a Castellano pass with 12 seconds left in the first half.
"We were never really out of the game, we were just down by a couple," Castellano said. "It's APU, it's a rival, so this was not a game to lose.
"It was much needed, we really needed this win for momentum going into conference. This really helped solidify us. We know we can play with any of these teams."
About a minute into the half, Madison Gonzales forced an APU turnover and sparked a counter attack and man-advantage opportunity after Annie Eubanks drew an ejection. Castellano finished at the other end off a pass from Allie Coleman. It made it 5-4 APU a minute, eight seconds into the half.
Castellano scored again less than a minute later to tie things again. Spezzaferri forced another tie at 6-6, with 33 seconds left in the third, when she forced a steal, drew an ejection and then scored on the counter after an outlet from Medeiros.
Fifty-nine seconds into the fourth quarter, Castellano hit a bar-in goal from deep to give the Lancers their first lead, 7-6. CBU took an 8-6 advantage when Castellano threw another one off the post and in with 5:40 left in regulation.
About half of Castellano's goals were of the picture-perfect, bar-in variety – just don't ask her for her secret to success.
"I feel like I've had kind of a rough season on offense where it hasn't gone my way, but today they were going in and I was pumped," Castellano said. "I don't know how, it just happened."
BOX SCORE
Players Mentioned
2MD
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
2M
/ Women's Water Polo
G
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
/ Women's Water Polo
DR
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