Strong Second Half Lifts #25 CSUN Past UCSB, 12-6

Friday, March 13

Northridge, Calif.

2:30 p.m.

California State University at Northridge

16-5, 2-1Big West

UC Santa Barbara

1-16, 0-5Big West

UC Santa Barbara

CSUN

Photo by: Chuck Marvel

Strong Second Half Lifts #25 CSUN Past UCSB, 12-6

3/13/2026 6:55:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

Box Score

NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---No. 25 CSUN Water Polo pulled away in the second half for a 12-6 victory over UC Santa Barbara in a Big West match on Friday at Matador Pool. Sophomore Sofia Martinez scored four goals and added two steals while the freshmen trio of Mira Dravucz, Marjorie Krueger and Sophia Cooper scored two goals apiece.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The opening minutes of the first quarter would be even with each side trading goals. The score was 2-2 heading to the final minute of the first period before CSUN took advantage of a pair of Gaucho exclusions. Krueger scored on a five-meter penalty while Cooper scored on a power play with 18 seconds left on the first-quarter clock for a 4-2 Matador lead. The second quarter proved to be a defensive struggle with UCSB's Cami Mras scoring the only goal of the period with 1:04 remaining to pull her team to within 4-3.

After not scoring in the second period, the Matadors flipped the script in the third period with a five-goal outburst. Kianna Melvin and Martinez scored in the opening two minutes of action while Dravucz hit the net at the five-minute mark to extend to a 7-3 lead. UCSB picked up a pair of goals late in the third period, but CSUN matched those two scores with two of its own. Cooper and Krueger netted CSUN's two late third-quarter tallies to build a 9-5 lead through three quarters. In the fourth, Martinez put CSUN into double digits with a tally at the 5:43 mark of the period. Hadley Hall scored UCSB's lone goal of the fourth quarter while CSUN put the game out of reach with two late strikes from Martinez for the 12-6 victory.

NOTES OF THE GAME

CSUN improves to 15-5 overall and 2-1 in Big West play while UC Santa Barbara falls to 1-16 overall and 0-5 in conference.
Goalkeeper Erika Staine played the full 32 minutes, totaling 13 saves to go with a steal.
Lucie Lapuz posted three assists while Krueger had a team-high four steals.
The Matadors have now won six straight games.

ACCORDING TO COACH MATT WARSHAW
"Big West games are hard to win and today our hard work paid off. Only up by one at the half but our second half adjustments worked perfectly and we were able to break it open in the second half. Our youthful and energetic roster shined bright today."

UP NEXT
CSUN travels to Hawai'i next week for three matches, beginning with an exhibition game with USC at Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex on Tuesday, March 17. The week continues with a matchup with Connecticut College on March 18 before wrapping with a Big West match against Hawai'i on March 20.

#GoMatadors