The Fresno State water polo team continued its seven-game winning streak with a dominant 17-6 victory over Azusa Pacific University at the Fresno State Aquatics Center on Saturday, March 18.

Entering the match, Fresno State goalkeeper Paula Nieto Jasny told The Collegian that her nerves were tighter than usual because of her unfamiliarity with the Azusa Pacific Cougars’ offense. The sophomore was almost perfect in the goal.

Jasny finished the game with seven saves, allowing the ball to pass her only twice.

“I think that we did a really good job today in defense,” Jasny said. 

She praised the defense’s performance for allowing the offense to dominate the Cougars.

Bulldog backup goalkeepers, Kelly Villanueva and Abigayle Armstrong, also saw game action, playing one quarter apiece. 

The Bulldogs came out firing from the start with a penalty goal by sophomore Brooke Ochoa within the first 90 seconds. They continued to score the game’s following five goals until Azusa Pacific’s Madeline Schultz, the leading scorer for the Golden Coast Conference, finally got the Cougars’ first goal in the second period.

Ochoa scored a team-high five goals out of six shots and two assists. She led the Bulldogs to a critical win, keeping them undefeated in conference play.

She is currently tied in fourth alongside attacker Marialena Seletopoulou from Loyola Marymount University among the conference’s leading scorers.

“As a leading scorer, putting the ball in the back of the net is key for our bench,” Ochoa said.

The ‘Dogs started the season with four consecutive losses against ranked opponents, such as Cal and UC Irvine. 

​​”We knew that we’d have a pretty tough start to our season,” said Head Coach Natalie Benson. “But a lot of really important lessons being learned early are helping us out now.”

The Bulldogs’ last six games have been shutout performances, placing them first in the conference.

This season, the team welcomed eight new additions and 11 returners, creating a young, dynamic squad.

Having several returning players has allowed Benson to make critical changes to the lineup, contributing to the team’s recent success.

Redshirt senior Jillian Schultz changed positions from utility to center, allowing her to be a centerpiece for the offense.

With other returners, Schultz has stepped up for the team this season, setting an example for the younger players.

“They’ve been clutch,” Benson said.  

With three more games left in their conference season, Benson says she believes the team has set themselves up well for their competitions in the coming weeks and another possible season title. 

“Now we just have to keep doing the work for at least two more weeks to get through [University of the Pacific] and LMU and see where we get to go from here,” Benson said.

The ‘Dogs will travel to Stockton to face off against No. 15 Pacific on Saturday, March 25.