Bakersfield, Calif. - Picking up right where they left off a week prior, the No. 20 ranked Pacific women's water polo team nabbed a pair of victories on the first day of action at the Roadrunner Invitational on Saturday, Mar. 9. The Tigers took a close 8-7 battle with Wagner to start their day before dismantling Cal State Monterey Bay, 15-6, during the afternoon session. With the wins Pacific improved to 12-6 on the season.

Game 1
Pacific 8 - Wagner 7

Despite jumping out to an early lead on the Seahawks, the Tigers found themselves playing from behind late in a contest that went down to the final minute of play before a victor was decided. Early on, Pacific controlled the flow of play as the Tigers opened with the first three goals of the game including a pair of first quarter strikes from sophomore Brydie Pye. With the lead in hand, the Tigers continued to push forward, but found the Seahawks resistant as Laura Karbach, Wagners' goalkeeper, held strong in net and kept the Tigers off the board despite a barrage. Through the first half, Karbach notched eight saves to allow the Seahawks time to climb back into the contest as Wagner netted the final two goals of the half to draw within 3-2.

After the break, the Tigers saw the Seahawks grab their first lead of the game with three-straight scores after sophomore Taylor Adair put Pacific up 4-2 with a quick strike to start the half. Despite the sudden change, the Tigers held strong as Adair evened things up with her second goal of the quarter with just :18 seconds play. 

Even after three quarters, the Tigers and Seahawks split goals through the first four minutes of the quarter to push the score to 7-7 where it would stay until the clock sat at 1:16 to play. With just over a minute left in regulation, Pacific picked up the goal it needed for the win as junior Elise Martin notched her second of two goals in the quarter to give the Tigers the final lead.

Game 2
Pacific 15 - Cal State Monterey Bay 6

Hitting the pool for the second time in the day just a few hours after their nailbiter against Wagner, the Tigers made short work of Otters en route to their fifth straight victory. Trailing just once in the game after giving up an opening goal to the Otters, the Tigers offense exploded for a season-high 15 goals behind four each from Pye and junior Malena Prlain. 

Notching half of the Tigers' goals in the contest, the duo of Pye and Prlain split time dominating the game as Pye started fast while Prlain came on late. Pye got to work early as she scored three of her four goals in the first half of play while Prlain tallied a natural hat-trick in the third quarter of play to help the Tigers bury the Otters.

In goal, junior Michele Relton was again at her best as the Tiger netminder produced 12 saves in the game and allowed just two second half goals after shutting out the Otters in the third. The 12 saves mrked the 14th time in 2013 the junior tallied double-digit saves in the net for Pacific.

No. 20 Pacific 8, Wagner 7
Pacific   2 – 1 – 2 – 3 –– 8
Wagner 0 – 2 – 3 – 2 –– 7  

Goals
Pacific – Adair 3, Pye 2, Martin 2, Prlain
Wagner - Burdge 3, Doefler 3, Jordan  

Goalkeeper Saves
Pacific – Relton  6
Wagner - Karbach 13

No. 20 Pacific 15, Cal State Monterey Bay 5
Pacific    3 – 5 – 5 – 2 –– 15
CSUMB  1 – 3 – 0 – 2 –– 6 

Goals
Pacific – Pye 4, Prlain 4, Weir 2, Martin 2, Adair, Smith, Villanueva
CSUMB – Walters 3, Tyrell 2, Burke