The Fresno State water polo team rose above the competition, securing its fourth straight title since 2021.
The water polo team competed in the Golden Coast Conference tournament from April 26-28. The Bulldogs entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed with an overall record of 18-7, and a conference record of 6-1.
Fresno State 23, University of Santa Clara 6
The Bulldogs opened up tournament play on April 26 in a matchup against the No. 7 seed Santa Clara Broncos.
From the very start of the game, the Bulldogs dominated the Broncos. The ‘Dogs took a total of 43 shots compared to the Broncos’ 25 shots. The shot percentages demonstrate how well the Bulldogs played, as they had a shot percentage of .512 in contrast to the Broncos’ .240 percent.
Fresno State got the scoring started early as attackers Ashley Williams and Cynthia Rosa combined to produce the first point of the game. After that, Fresno State never looked back and took the 23-6 win.
Fresno State 11, University of the Pacific 8
The second round brought a much more competitive game for the Bulldogs as they matched up with the No. 3 seed University of the Pacific on April 27.
The game was a hard-fought battle for both sides. However the Bulldogs came out on top, beating the Tigers 11-8. Attacker Hailey Andress led Fresno State in scoring, taking 4 shots, adding 3 points on 1 goal and 2 assists. This win allowed Fresno State to advance to their fourth straight title game since 2021, which would represent their toughest challenge yet.
Fresno State 13, Loyola Marymount University 12
The Bulldogs matched up against the No. 1 seed Loyola Marymount Lions for the right to the title on April 28. This game was also a rematch of the 2022 Championship Game, which saw the Bulldogs defeat the Lions, 11-8.
This game was very competitive. Throughout the competition, both sides matched each other’s intensity and kept the game close. The Bulldogs outscored the Lions in the first and second periods, with a 9-2 advantage.
However, the Lions would catch their stride in the third period, outscoring the Bulldogs 6-2. The Lions also outscored the Bulldogs in the fourth period, 4-1.
It looked like the Bulldogs would have to dig deep to be victorious for a fourth straight time. Luckily for them, the fourth period ended with both teams tied up at 12, triggering two overtime periods.
During overtime, the Bulldogs rallied together, battling their way to a 13-12 victory. Attacker Kaitlin Howarth scored the game-winning point in the first overtime period with 1:48 left on the clock, giving the Bulldogs their fourth straight title and snapping the Lion’s 20-game win streak in the process.
Utility Brooke Ochoa was awarded the game’s MVP. Ochoa finished the game with 1 goal, 2 assists and 3 points on five shots. She was also joined in the All-Tournament team with goalkeeper Paula Nieto Jansy and attacker Abbey Simshauser.
Fresno State now brings the crown home for the fourth straight time. They shared celebratory posts on multiple social media platforms, including X, formerly Twitter.
