Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific women's water polo team pulled away from Azusa Pacific in the Tigers' Golden Coast Conference opener behind five goals from Gracie Smith and three from Taylor Adair.

Kelsey Carter also scored two goals while Brydie Pye and Rebecca Wright added a goal and two assists to round out the Pacific scoring.

Meghan Nee tallied 10 saves in the cage for Pacific, which improves to 10-11 overall and 1-0 in GCC play.

Alynn Read, Maryann Slama and Taylor Whitney each scored two goals for APU, while Cougars netminder Jessica Armagost posted 13 saves.

Carter opened the scoring with a goal at the 6:45 mark. The Cougars tied it up a minute later as Maryann Slama found the back of the net. Adair gave the Tigers the lead back with a finish from the five-meter, but on the 6-on-5 advantage, Angelina Castaneda tied the game at two.

In the second quarter, Smith posted a pair of goals, first a slick backhander, and then firing a goal in from five meters for a 4-2 Pacific lead. Adair ripped a shot home from a sharp angle at the 3:24 mark for a three-goal lead at 5-2.

APU's Taylor Whitney converted with three minutes to go in the quarter, and Read brought the Cougars within one just 51 seconds later. After an offensive foul, Whitney's backhand goal snuck through to tie the game at 5-5 with 1:03 left in the half.

Smith's third goal put Pacific back on top as she took a feed from Elise Martin with a defender hanging off her, and quickly beat the keeper for a 6-5 lead. Nee stopped Read's five-meter penalty shot to preserve the 6-5 lead and Adair tallied her third goal of the game from inside the five meter to restore a two-goal advantage. But Slama answered right back, sneaking a shot inside the left post. Smith finished a Carter pass with backhand goal on the Tigers' next possession for an 8-6 lead.

In the fourth, Rebecca Wright delivered a long pass from the center line into the two meter to Carter, who finished on the doorstep for a 9-6 lead.

Nee stopped back-to-back shots by APU, and Brydie Pye added a skip shot with 3:00 to play. Read answered with a quick lob over Nee to cut the margin to 11-7 at the 2:01 mark. Alyssa Hess added a skip-shot goal late for Azusa Pacific.

Wright added a breakaway goal in the final seconds for a 12-8.  

APU falls to 13-15 overall, 1-1 in GCC play.

The Tigers have won five of six and are back in action at 4:30 (approx.) on Saturday against Redlands.

SCORING SUMMARY
1st
PAC 1-0 #14 Kelsey Carter 6:45
APU 1-1 #11 Maryann Slama 5:47
PAC 2-1 #5 Taylor Adair 4:31
APU 2-2 #8 Angelina Castaneda 1:24 (6-on-5)

2nd
PAC: 3-2 #7 Gracie Smith (backhand) 7:37
PAC: 4-2 #7 Gracie Smith 5:47
PAC: 5-2 #5 Taylor Adair 3:24
APU: 5-3 #10 Taylor Whitney 3:00
APU: 5-4 #7 Alynn Read 2:09
APU: 5-5 #10 Taylor Whitney 1:03 (backhand)

3rd
PAC: 6-5 #7 Gracie Smith (2-meter) 6:06
PAC: 7-5 #5 Taylor Adair 3:00
APU: 7-6 #11 Maryann Slama 2:39
PAC: 8-6 #7 Gracie Smith (backhand) 2:18

4th
PAC: 9-6 #14 Kelsey Carter 7:39
PAC: 10-6 #7 Gracie Smith (2-meter) 3:48
PAC: 11-6 #10 Brydie Pye 3:00 (skip from 7 meters)
APU: 11-7 #7 Alynn Read 2:01
APU: 11-8 #5 Alyssa Hess 0:41 (skip)
PAC: 12-8 #4 Rebecca Wright 0:01 (breakaway)

SAVES (by quarter)
APU - Armagost - 7 - 1 - 2 - 3 -- TOTAL: 13
PAC - Nee - 3 - 2 - 2 - 3 --  TOTAL: 10

6-on-5
APU: 1-for-2 (50%)
PAC: 0-for-4 (0%)

5-Meter Penalties
APU: 0-1 (Reed)