Friday, February 23
Thousand Oaks, Calif.
11:40 a.m.
California State University at Northridge
14
vs
12
Cal State East Bay
Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald
CSUN Earns Split on Day One of Tina Finali Tourney
2/23/2024 7:36:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.---No. 25 CSUN Water Polo opened the Tina Finali Tournament with a split on Friday at Samuelson Aquatics Center. The Matadors held on for a 14-12 victory over Cal State East Bay before falling to No. 11 LMU 15-8. Dorottya Telek and Helena Sandhagen had four goals apiece on the day while Anna Pal recorded a hat trick in the opening game.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. CAL STATE EAST BAY
Telek registered a goal 12 seconds into the morning match. CSUN would have a big first quarter, scoring five times with Telek and Sandhagen leading the way with two goals each. Kate Cornejo also scored in the first quarter as CSUN led 5-1 through eight minutes. The Pioneers though responded with a big quarter of their own in the second, outscoring CSUN 5-2. Kianna Melvin would stop a 3-0 run with a goal before Cal State East Bay soon evened the game with 1:36 remaining in the first half. Anna Pal found the net on a power play to give CSUN a slim 7-6 edge at the break.
Just 13 seconds into the third quarter, Sandhagen struck the net then Pal dented the twine with a goal at the 6:43 mark. Pal gave CSUN a 10-7 lead on a power play, but the Pioneers hit three goals within a minute span. Once again CSUN picked up a late goal to end a quarter courtesy of Tatiana Smeltzer to hold on to a 11-10 edge. The Matadors held a 12-10 lead with five minutes play in the fourth before the Pioneers picked up goals from Elise Whitworth and Luna Sarmiento to tie the game with four minutes to play. CSUN though took control down the stretch as Nicole Thomas gave CSUN the lead on a power play before Valeria Martinez hit a key insurance goal with 53 seconds left to preserve the lead.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. LMU
The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead to start before Martinez put CSUN on the scoreboard with 4:35 on the clock. However, the last four minutes belonged to the Lions as six goals would be scored, two of which by Ruth Arino Ruiz, for an 8-2 LMU lead. The Matadors eventually dug an 11-2 hole after three consecutive LMU goals to open the second quarter. Shelby Hovanesian notched CSUN's lone tally in the second period to bring the Matadors to within 11-3.
The Matadors would finally get going offensively beginning in the third period. Goals from Sandhagen and Kianna Melvin cut into the deficit while Telek finished off the third quarter with a tally to bring CSUN closer at 13-6. LMU picked up two more goals in the fourth quarter, but CSUN matched those two goals with strikes from Jessica Matkovich and goalkeeper Samantha Bright to close the scoring.
NOTES OF THE GAME
"Jumping out to a 5-1 lead was nice against East Bay, but I hope we learned the lesson today to never take your foot off the gas. Then battling back after a tie game in the fourth quarter once again showed our determination. Road wins are hard to get, and we got one."
"Hats off to a solid LMU team. They outplayed us in the first half and it was a hole we couldn't dig out of. Short turnaround and two more road games tomorrow."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up the Tina Finali Tournament with matches against Azusa Pacific at 1:50 p.m. and Cal Lutheran at 4:30 p.m.
#GoMatadors
Â
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. CAL STATE EAST BAY
Telek registered a goal 12 seconds into the morning match. CSUN would have a big first quarter, scoring five times with Telek and Sandhagen leading the way with two goals each. Kate Cornejo also scored in the first quarter as CSUN led 5-1 through eight minutes. The Pioneers though responded with a big quarter of their own in the second, outscoring CSUN 5-2. Kianna Melvin would stop a 3-0 run with a goal before Cal State East Bay soon evened the game with 1:36 remaining in the first half. Anna Pal found the net on a power play to give CSUN a slim 7-6 edge at the break.
Just 13 seconds into the third quarter, Sandhagen struck the net then Pal dented the twine with a goal at the 6:43 mark. Pal gave CSUN a 10-7 lead on a power play, but the Pioneers hit three goals within a minute span. Once again CSUN picked up a late goal to end a quarter courtesy of Tatiana Smeltzer to hold on to a 11-10 edge. The Matadors held a 12-10 lead with five minutes play in the fourth before the Pioneers picked up goals from Elise Whitworth and Luna Sarmiento to tie the game with four minutes to play. CSUN though took control down the stretch as Nicole Thomas gave CSUN the lead on a power play before Valeria Martinez hit a key insurance goal with 53 seconds left to preserve the lead.
HOW IT HAPPENED VS. LMU
The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead to start before Martinez put CSUN on the scoreboard with 4:35 on the clock. However, the last four minutes belonged to the Lions as six goals would be scored, two of which by Ruth Arino Ruiz, for an 8-2 LMU lead. The Matadors eventually dug an 11-2 hole after three consecutive LMU goals to open the second quarter. Shelby Hovanesian notched CSUN's lone tally in the second period to bring the Matadors to within 11-3.
The Matadors would finally get going offensively beginning in the third period. Goals from Sandhagen and Kianna Melvin cut into the deficit while Telek finished off the third quarter with a tally to bring CSUN closer at 13-6. LMU picked up two more goals in the fourth quarter, but CSUN matched those two goals with strikes from Jessica Matkovich and goalkeeper Samantha Bright to close the scoring.
NOTES OF THE GAME
- With her four goals, Telek stands at 221 career goals. Telek is now within two goals of surpassing second-place Allison Brookes and nine goals away from breaking Madeleine Sanchez's all-time CSUN goal mark of 229.
- In goal, Meghan Lopez finished with 10 saves in the win over Cal State East Bay. She would add two more saves against LMU.
- Bright played in the second half in front of the cage and registered seven saves.
- Pal picked up four assists in the win over the Pioneers while Nicole Bacoyanis and Hovanesian had two in the LMU match.
"Jumping out to a 5-1 lead was nice against East Bay, but I hope we learned the lesson today to never take your foot off the gas. Then battling back after a tie game in the fourth quarter once again showed our determination. Road wins are hard to get, and we got one."
"Hats off to a solid LMU team. They outplayed us in the first half and it was a hole we couldn't dig out of. Short turnaround and two more road games tomorrow."
UP NEXT
CSUN wraps up the Tina Finali Tournament with matches against Azusa Pacific at 1:50 p.m. and Cal Lutheran at 4:30 p.m.
#GoMatadors
Â
Players Mentioned
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water PoloA Conversation With Matt Warshaw
Friday, May 15
National Student-Athlete Day 2019 - McKenzie Beardsley
Friday, April 05
CSUN Water Polo Report
Friday, February 10
Meet the Matadors - 2017 Women's Water Polo
Wednesday, January 18