CBU Closes Out Santa Clara

Friday, February 23

Santa Clara, Calif.

3:00 PM

California Baptist University

Santa Clara

Photo by: Conner Schuh

CBU Closes Out Santa Clara

2/23/2018 5:58:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Neither team led by more than a goal throughout California Baptist University's Golden Coast Conference opener on Friday at Santa Clara. The young 23^rd-ranked Lancers stayed poised and pulled out the 7-6 road win over the Broncos.

Lizette Perez came up big with two second-half goals, including the game-winner with three minutes, 39 seconds to play. CBU improves to 5-7, 1-0 in the GCC this season and the Broncos fall to 4-6, 0-1. The Lancers play two more games on Saturday, facing Cal State Monterey Bay at 9 a.m. and then 10^th-ranked UC Davis at 1 p.m. in the Santa Clara Tournament.

"To be 1-0 in conference after going on the road and winning a one-goal game is a really good feeling," Coach Jon Miller said. "You only get seven conference games so each one means a ton. It's a big confidence builder moving forward – you take it one game at a time, but this one was big."

While Perez provided the game-winning goal, Grace Ramirez notched the game-winning save for CBU. The Lancers held a 7-6 lead when Santa Clara called a timeout with possession and 23 seconds left. The Broncos fired off a shot, but Ramirez blocked it to secure the win.

"She stepped up big, she did a really good job of recognizing shooting angles," Miller said of Ramirez, who had nine saves and a steal in the win. Ramirez logged three of her saves in the final 1:26 of regulation.

"Our girls forced them into a lot of off-balance shots. She was in the right place at the right time when she needed to be," Miller added. "We have had two games now where we have needed saves from her in the last 10 seconds, which is phenomenal for her to be able to do that."

Despite the low-scoring affair, three Lancers came away with three points. Perez finished with two goals, an assist and three steals in the game, while true freshman Kira O'Donell tallied four points (one goal, three assists), drew an exclusion and steal. Senior Annie Eubanks also notched a goal, two assists, two steals and a drawn ejection.

It took almost three-and-a-half minutes for either team to score on Friday, but CBU senior Allie Coleman provided the breakthrough goal off a Eubanks pass at the 4:34 mark of the first quarter. By the end of the first, it was all tied 1-1 after the Broncos scored with 1:43 left.

Another Eubanks assist set up a beautiful cross-cage goal from O'Donell about five meters out, into the top right corner of the cage just 1:37 into the second frame. Santa Clara forced a 2-2 tie before Pua Wong scored on an O'Donell dish with 5:11 left in the second quarter.

The Broncos would even things up once again by halftime and then took their first lead, 4-3, just 43 seconds into the third quarter. CBU responded on the ensuing possession after Jocelyn Schwegler fired a shot that was blocked and rebounded for the Lancers before Maddie Meza put it away for an easy goal and 4-4 tie.

Santa Clara retook a 5-4 lead with 3:48 remaining in the third quarter, but the Lancers scored two-straight – thanks to Perez and Eubanks – to claim a 6-5 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Broncos forced another 6-6 tie with 6:06 to play before Perez scored the eventual game-winner at the 3:39 mark.

Perez found herself one-on-one on the post, created an opportunity for herself and beat her defender and the goalie for CBU's seventh and final goal of the game.

"We have shown this ability before, it is nice to put away close games in the fourth quarter," Miller said. "The team responded really well and is showing they can fight through adversity on the road and against good teams. To see that early in the year is a big step forward as we get into conference and everything else."