Saturday, March 15
San Diego, Calif.
8:00 a.m.
California State University at Northridge
15-8
7
vs
18
#12 Princeton
12-4
1
2
3
4
F
Princeton
4
5
3
6
18
CSUN
1
1
3
2
7
Photo by: Steve Fitzgerald
#23 CSUN Falls Twice to Ranked Opponents at Aztec Invite
3/15/2025 8:49:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
SAN DIEGO, Calif.---No. 23 CSUN Water Polo suffered a pair of losses to top-20 teams at the Aztec Invitational on Saturday inside the Aztec Aquaplex. The Matadors fell to No. 12 Princeton 18-7 in the morning match before dropping a 16-12 decision to No. 20 San Diego State. Dorottya Telek finished with five goals combined on the day while Sofia Martinez had four.
PRINCETON GAME
Princeton jumped on the Matadors in the early morning match with four consecutive goals over the first four-plus minutes of action. Sofia Martinez would get CSUN on the scoreboard at the 2:47 mark of the first period as CSUN trailed by a 4-1 margin heading to the second quarter. The Tigers though controlled the second period with five straight goals to open the quarter. Kayla Yelensky scored twice for Princeton while Shanna Davidson would hit the net as well on a five-meter penalty. Nicole Bacoyanis finally ended the run with 56 seconds left in the first half, but CSUN looked up at a 9-2 deficit at intermission.
The third quarter would be even in the goal department with each side scoring three times. Telek got into the scoring column at the 5:50 mark while Martinez hit her second of the game and Abigel Kiss added another. CSUN would trail 12-5 entering the final period where the Tigers once again got it going on the offensive end. Four different Tigers scored goals to start the fourth quarter until Alexis Smith broke up that run at the midway point of the period. Tatum Scarry also found the net late in the match, but the Matadors could close the gap as Princeton secured a double digit win.
SAN DIEGO STATE GAME
The Matadors once again dug an early hole with Mimi Stoupas and Sofia Righetti netting goals for San Diego State to start. Anna Pal recorded CSUN's first goal of the match, but the Aztecs scored the next two to open a 4-1 lead. A total of eight goals would be scored over the last 3:45 of the first quarter alone. Telek scored on a five-meter penalty before San Diego answered on a Stoupas goal. Pal brought the Matadors closer before Valeria Martinez and Pal hit goals near the two-minute mark to bring CSUN to within 6-5. A Lucy Bullock tally gave the Aztecs a bit of breathing room, but Martinez hit her second of the quarter to pull CSUN closer at 7-6 through eight minutes.
The Matadors pulled even on a Telek goal in the second quarter then took their first lead on a tally from Kianna Melvin. The second quarter would be more of a defensive struggle as the Aztecs scored their lone goal of the quarter at the 1:54 mark before Telek gave CSUN a 9-8 edge to close the first half.
The back and forth affair continued in the third quarter where SDSU evened the match at 9-9 before Telek gave CSUN the lead right back. Sofia Martinez would later break a 10-10 tie with a goal, but the quarter ended with a tally from Luna Sarmiento as the game was squared at 11-11 entering the final period. In the fourth, SDSU took a 12-11 lead on a strike from Claudia Valdes, however, Martinez responded for CSUN to tie the game at 12-12 with 5:26 left to go. The final four-plus minutes though belonged to the Aztecs. Shannon Murphy gave her team the lead then Lucky Bullock scored a big insurance goal with 2:48 to go. Despite CSUN drawing an exclusion, the Aztecs never allowed another goal while they added two more for good measure en route to the win.
NOTES OF THE GAMES
UP NEXT
CSUN returns to Big West play next Saturday, March 22 when it travels to Long Beach State. Start time is set for noon.
#GoMatadors
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PRINCETON GAME
Princeton jumped on the Matadors in the early morning match with four consecutive goals over the first four-plus minutes of action. Sofia Martinez would get CSUN on the scoreboard at the 2:47 mark of the first period as CSUN trailed by a 4-1 margin heading to the second quarter. The Tigers though controlled the second period with five straight goals to open the quarter. Kayla Yelensky scored twice for Princeton while Shanna Davidson would hit the net as well on a five-meter penalty. Nicole Bacoyanis finally ended the run with 56 seconds left in the first half, but CSUN looked up at a 9-2 deficit at intermission.
The third quarter would be even in the goal department with each side scoring three times. Telek got into the scoring column at the 5:50 mark while Martinez hit her second of the game and Abigel Kiss added another. CSUN would trail 12-5 entering the final period where the Tigers once again got it going on the offensive end. Four different Tigers scored goals to start the fourth quarter until Alexis Smith broke up that run at the midway point of the period. Tatum Scarry also found the net late in the match, but the Matadors could close the gap as Princeton secured a double digit win.
SAN DIEGO STATE GAME
The Matadors once again dug an early hole with Mimi Stoupas and Sofia Righetti netting goals for San Diego State to start. Anna Pal recorded CSUN's first goal of the match, but the Aztecs scored the next two to open a 4-1 lead. A total of eight goals would be scored over the last 3:45 of the first quarter alone. Telek scored on a five-meter penalty before San Diego answered on a Stoupas goal. Pal brought the Matadors closer before Valeria Martinez and Pal hit goals near the two-minute mark to bring CSUN to within 6-5. A Lucy Bullock tally gave the Aztecs a bit of breathing room, but Martinez hit her second of the quarter to pull CSUN closer at 7-6 through eight minutes.
The Matadors pulled even on a Telek goal in the second quarter then took their first lead on a tally from Kianna Melvin. The second quarter would be more of a defensive struggle as the Aztecs scored their lone goal of the quarter at the 1:54 mark before Telek gave CSUN a 9-8 edge to close the first half.
The back and forth affair continued in the third quarter where SDSU evened the match at 9-9 before Telek gave CSUN the lead right back. Sofia Martinez would later break a 10-10 tie with a goal, but the quarter ended with a tally from Luna Sarmiento as the game was squared at 11-11 entering the final period. In the fourth, SDSU took a 12-11 lead on a strike from Claudia Valdes, however, Martinez responded for CSUN to tie the game at 12-12 with 5:26 left to go. The final four-plus minutes though belonged to the Aztecs. Shannon Murphy gave her team the lead then Lucky Bullock scored a big insurance goal with 2:48 to go. Despite CSUN drawing an exclusion, the Aztecs never allowed another goal while they added two more for good measure en route to the win.
NOTES OF THE GAMES
- CSUN drops to 15-9 overall with the two decisions.
- Sofia Martinez was the leading scorer in the Princeton match, finishing with two goals while Jessica Matkovich had two assists.
- Kianna Kellner finished with three saves in the Princeton match.
- Telek netted four goals to lead CSUN in the San Diego State game to go with two field blocks. Lucie Lapuz and Pal had two assists apiece.
- Both Erika Staine and Marin Byars racked up three saves apiece versus SDSU.
UP NEXT
CSUN returns to Big West play next Saturday, March 22 when it travels to Long Beach State. Start time is set for noon.
#GoMatadors
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Team Stats
PRI
CSUN
Shots
18
25
Goals
18
7
Assists
0
6
Points
18
13
Exclusions
7
13
Steals
0
2
Sprints
0
1
1
Olivia Krotts
6:42
Rachael Carver
5:17
Ava Houlahan
4:23
Rachael Carver
3:54
Sofia Martinez
2:47
2
Olivia Krotts
6:03
Kayla Yelensky
5:28
Kayla Yelensky
4:43
Shanna Davidson
2:19
Emese Batizi
1:46
Nicole Bacoyanis
0:56
3
Kayla Yelensky
6:13
Dorottya Telek
5:50
Shanna Davidson
4:09
Sofia Martinez
3:51
Shanna Davidson
2:59
Abigel Kiss
0:24
4
Shanna Davidson
6:50
Rachael Carver
6:11
Hadley Harbilas
5:24
Charlotte Riches
4:48
Alexis Smith
4:06
Tatum Scarry
1:41
Margaret Brandin
0:57
Margaret Brandin
0:07
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
4
Goals
1
Assists
0
Points
1
Shots
4
Goals
0
Assists
0
Points
0
Shots
3
Goals
2
Assists
0
Points
2
Shots
3
Goals
0
Assists
1
Points
1
Players Mentioned
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water Polo
Center
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water PoloUtility
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water Polo
Utility
/ Women's Water PoloUtility
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Attacker
/ Women's Water Polo
Goalkeeper
/ Women's Water PoloCenter
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