Northridge, Calif. – No. 20 Pacific Women's Water Polo fell late in a contest with 13th-ranked Cal State Northridge Saturday, March 23. The Tigers tied the score at six in the final quarter, but a late run from the Matadors lifted CSUN to a 9-6 victory. 

The loss dropped Pacific to 15-8 (0-1 BWC) on the year while the victory improved CSUN to 20-8 (2-0 BWC).

Freshman Gracie Smith led the Tigers with three goals, her second consecutive hat trick. Junior goalkeeper Michele Relton tallied nine saves in a complete-game effort.

Cal State Northridge jumped on the Tigers early, scoring on its first two possession to take a quick 2-0 lead. The Matadors went up 3-0 on a counter-attack goal, forcing Pacific to take a timeout. The Tigers came up empty out of the timeout, and the hosts would go up by four, 4-0, late in the quarter.

Junior Elise Martin got Pacific on the board to open the second period, scoring off a drive to pull the Tigers to within three, 4-1. Both teams went cold for much of the frame, but the Matadors broke their scoreless stretch with a goal to regain a four-point advantage. Sophomore Taylor Adair brought Pacific back to within three, 5-2, on a counter-attack score at the end of the quarter.

Smith found the back of the cage early in the third as the Tigers drew to within two, 5-3, before sophomore Brydie Pye tallied late in the frame to cut CSUN's lead to one, 5-4. 

The Tigers tied it in the fourth at six after a goal from Smith off a rebounded shot, but three straight goals to close out the period propelled the Matadors to victory.

Pacific finishes up its road trip tomorrow when it takes on 15th-ranked UC Santa Barbara at 12 p.m.

No. 13 Cal State Northridge 9, No. 20 Pacific 6

Pacific 0 – 2 – 2 – 2 –– 6

Cal State Northridge 4 – 1 – 0 – 4 –– 9

Goals
Pacific – Smith 3, Adair, Martin, Pye
Cal State Northridge – Young 3, Janke 2, Henehan, Herrington, Photopulos, Terrieta 

Goalkeeper Saves
Pacific – Relton 9
Cal State Northridge –  Davis 10