Stockton, Calif. - The No. 16 Pacific women's water polo team won its fifth straight behind a seven-goal second quarter, downing Santa Clara 13-6 Saturday at Chris Kjeldsen Pool.
Brydie Pye posted a hat trick, while Karolina Hlavata and Rachel Krieger each added two. Pacific also received goals from Taylor Adair, Aelish Guinn, Anna Kertes, Noelle Mann, Megan Torre and Elise Whittall.
Pacific improves to 11-9 overall with their fifth consecutive victory. The Tigers remain unbeaten at home (3-0) and against unranked teams (5-0). Goalkeeper Michele Relton posted 14 saves in goal for the Tigers. Pacific is now 2-1 in Golden Coast Conference play.
At the start, Elizabeth Anderson slipped behind the defense, took a pass and beat the keeper for a 1-0 Santa Clara lead. Pye answered back with a bar down goal on the other end to even the score 1-1 after one possession each.
A long outlet from Relton to Kertes started the Tigers' transition, and Kertes found Pye streaking to the cage as Pye finished on the doorstep for a 2-1 lead. Pacific drew an ejection and Krieger immediately finished for a 3-1 advantage. Julia Peters scored on a break for the Broncos, getting behind the defense in transition to close the margin to 3-2 Pacific.
Hlavata opened the second quarter with a goal from distance, sneaking it inside the near post for a 4-2 Tiger lead. After a stop on the other end, Adair ripped a skip shot to the near side, under the arm of the keeper as the Tigers led by 5. Peters responded with a goal from the five meter line, amid traffic in front. Hlavata scored from distance again, going cross-cage for a 6-3 Pacific advantage.
Relton stopped a breakaway by Lauren Radich, and on the ensuing possession, Krieger from the center spun and scored inside the post for a four-goal lead. Noelle Mann stretched the margin to 10-3.
Pacific chased starting goalie Sydni Estrella, who finished with two blocks in two quarters. Francesca Puccinelli posted three saves in the third quarter for Santa Clara, while the Tigers focused on the defensive end and maintained the seven-goal lead by blanking the Broncos.
In the fourth, SCU's Elle Surber and Anna Kertes each posted goals on five-meter penalty shots. Santa Clara's Cathy Cantoni finished a 6-on-5 opportunity with 4:01 to go, but Aelish Guinn answered for Pacific with a 6-on-5 goal from distance following a crafty deke to restore a seven-goal cushion at 12-5.
Elise Whittall added her first goal of the year, slipping one into the cage from five meters away with a skip shot, before Radich tallied the final goal for SCU.
Puccinelli added three saves in the fourth quarter to finish with six in her half of action. Radich and Peters paced the Broncos offense with two goals each. Santa Clara falls to 12-10 overall, 0-1 in GCC action.
Pacific is off until April 11, when the Tigers face Fresno Pacific in a 1 p.m. start. That game will take place at the Clovis North High School pool.
