California Baptist University
Azusa Pacific
All Three Seniors Score in CBU's Season Finale
4/28/2019 12:39:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
All three Lancer seniors: Perez, Pua Wong and Madison Gonzales scored in their final collegiate contests, as the 25th-ranked and sixth-seeded Lancers fell to No. 23 and fifth-seed Azusa Pacific 11-7 in the GCC fifth-place game on Sunday at the Fresno State Aquatics Center.
Lizette Perez answers a goal from APU to tie this game at 2-2 with 2:09 left in the first quarter. It comes on a six-on-four powerplay for the Lancers.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/zB8NXddxvx
— CBU Lancers WWP (@LancersWWP) April 28, 2019
CBU matched Azusa Pacific goal for goal in the first half, with a balanced offense and solid play in the cage from Grace Ramirez, who finished with 13 saves. There was a bit of tough luck in the loss, as CBU had five shots go off the post.
Grace Ramirez is already having another big game in the cage for CBU. She comes up with this block to keep the game tied 1-1 late in the first quarter.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/H0jfJTTaNy
— CBU Lancers WWP (@LancersWWP) April 28, 2019
The Lancers generated a lot of first-half offense by drawing eight ejections in the opening 16 minutes. Wong gave CBU a 1-0 lead when she scored on a powerplay a minute into the game off an O'Donell assist.
APU wins the opening sprint, but CBU gets a defensive stop and then draws an ejection on scores on this nice play. Pua Wong buries a shot off an assist from Kira O'Donell -- 1-0 CBU.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/nKBbMRsxeW
— CBU Lancers WWP (@LancersWWP) April 28, 2019
CBU stayed right with APU through the first half, with goals from O'Donell, Perez and Hutton keeping things tied 4-4 at halftime. O'Donell tied the score at 4-4 with 1:16 left in the second quarter, and finished the game with a goal, assist and two steals.
Kira O'Donell turns her defender, draws a penalty foul and then scores it to tie this game at 4-4 late in the second quarter. #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/7EWghZI2GL
— CBU Lancers WWP (@LancersWWP) April 28, 2019
A 6-0, third-quarter run proved to be the difference for the Cougars, as they went ahead 10-4 with 9:03 left in regulation. Gonzales ended the run with her goal about a minute into the fourth quarter, while Perez scored twice in the final 2:12 to cap the scoring.
The Lancers end the year with a 15-18 record and Azusa Pacific improves to 19-14. CBU played one of its toughest-ever schedules this year, with 18 games against top-25 teams and five contests versus top-10 opponents.
