#22 CSUN Takes Two at Azusa Pacific

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

No. 22 CSUN Water Polo (9-9) extended its winning streak to a season-high four games with two victories at Azusa Pacific on Saturday. The Matadors edged host Azusa Pacific, 8-7, and cruised to a 9-3 victory over Pomona-Pitzer. Junior Madeleine Sanchez entered the Matadors' all-time Top 10 scoring list with her eight goals to go along with nine steals. Katelyn Fairchild scored a combined four goals in the two matches and Miranda Coleman scored twice. In the cage, Niki Van Vugt picked up 11 saves in 42 minutes of action.

Sitting on 139 goals for her career, Sanchez is now in sole possession of 10th place in the Matadors' all-time scoring list. She needs just three more goals to move into a ninth-place tie with Kelcie Ferreira (2012-15).

The Matadors battled the Cougars in a tight contest in the morning game. After neither side cracked the scoring column for more than half of the first period, CSUN scored first on a shot from Fairchild at the 3:19 mark. The Cougars answered back with a goal from Megan Myers a minute later, but CSUN took a 3-1 lead on goals from Coleman and Sanchez. APU's Sarah Adams ended the back-and-forth period with a score with under a minute to play to make it 3-2 going to the second quarter.

The Cougars once again evened the game at 3-3 after Britt Harris hit the net, however CSUN would have an answer. Amy Yule found the net off a pass from Hovanesian, and Sanchez pushed the lead to two with a score off a power play. Azusa Pacific was able to get a goal back at the 2:56 mark of the first half, as the scored remained 5-4 at halftime.

In the third period, the Cougars struck first on a goal from Myers to even the game once again at 5-5. Looking up at another tie score, CSUN would rally to end the quarter in resounding fashion. Goals from Fairchild and Sanchez with just over three minutes left to play gave the Matadors a 7-5 edge.

The run continued on into the fourth quarter where Sanchez netted her fourth of the match on a power play to extend the lead to three. Azusa Pacific would draw closer on a goal from Mireia Tutusaus Alcaraz, but CSUN held the Cougars at bay for nearly four minutes to take a two-goal lead into the final minute. Harris brought the Cougars to within one on a power play with 39 seconds remaining, however the Matadors managed the clock wisely down the stretch to hold on for the victory.

Hovanesian led CSUN with seven steals in the match while Sanchez had five. Fairchild also recorded four steals along with three assists. Van Vugt played the full 32 minutes against the Cougars, totaling eight saves.

In the afternoon game, the Matadors rode a hot start in a wire-to-wire win over Pomona-Pitzer. Sanchez broke a scoreless tie in the first period via a power play at the 3:01 mark of quarter. Sanchez scored again less than a minute later and Fairchild added another with less than two minutes to play. Following a costly Sagehen foul, Sanchez nailed a penalty shot, and Fairchild later scored the Matadors' fifth goal with 56 seconds left to play. Along with the team's play on the offensive end, the Matadors played tremendously well on the defensive side, holding Pomona-Pitzer without a goal for the full eight minutes.

The Matadors eventually extended to an 8-0 lead off goals from Sanchez, Coleman and Madasonne Butler in the second period. Scoreless for over 13 minutes, the Sagehens finally got on the scoreboard just before halftime off a score from Crystal Huang.

After intermission, the teams traded goals in the third period as the Matadors' Katia Andon-Mateos and the Sagehens' Christina Williamson each got into the scoring column. Pomona-Pitzer added two goals in the fourth quarter but it would not be enough to overtake the Matadors.

After a terrific effort in the opener, Hovanesian collected four more steals along with three assists against Pomona-Pitzer. Sanchez and Paula Abellan Garcia each tallied two steals while Butler earned two assists. Van Vugt started the game and made three saves in 11 minutes of action, making way for Brewster who finished the match with six saves.

CSUN returns to action next Friday (Feb. 24) at UC Irvine's Barbara Kalbus Invitational. The Matadors will take on Stanford to open the invite at 10 a.m.

CSUN: 3-2-2-1 = 8
APU: 2-2-1-2 = 7

CSUN scorers: Sanchez 4 (34), Fairchild 2 (30), Yule (14), Coleman (10)
APU scorers: Myers 2, Harris 2, Adams, Alcaraz, Taylor

CSUN saves: Van Vugt 8 (114)
APU saves: Marquez 5
---------------------------------
PP: 0-1-1-1 = 3
CSUN: 5-3-1-0 = 9

PP scorers: Williamson, Huang, Hill
CSUN scorers: Sanchez 4 (38), Fairchild 2 (32), Coleman (11), Butler (9), Andon-Mateos (7)

PP saves: Earwood 5, Stockham 2
CSUN saves: Brewster 6 (44), Van Vugt 3 (117)

#22 CSUN Takes Two at Azusa Pacific

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Players Mentioned

Paula Abellan Garcia

Katia Andon-Mateos

Nathalie Brewster

Madasonne Butler

Miranda Coleman

Katelyn Fairchild

Madeleine Sanchez

Niki Van Vugt

Amy Yule