GLENDORA, Calif. – The No. 9 Pacific Tigers women's water polo team set the tone early and closed strong with an 11-4 win at Azusa Pacific Saturday. Led by three multi-goal scorers and buoyed by eight second half goals, Pacific opened Golden Coast Conference play with a win over the Cougars at Citrus Aquatic Center to improve to 12-7 overall on the season.

Pacific's first two tallies occurred in the opening stanza on goals by Karolina Hlavata (6:58) and Kyra Christmas (5:19). Azusa Pacific called a timeout late in the first period and went on to score the opening goal in the second period on a shot by Alex Paxton at the 6:59 mark. Just over 10 seconds after Pacific called a timeout at the 3:38 mark, the Tigers reupped their lead to two goals as Viktoria Tamas found the back of the net to make it a 3-1 Pacific advantage.

The Tigers wasted no time getting started after intermission as Viktoria Szmodics scored 24 seconds into the third period to make it a 4-1 Pacific lead. Christmas added her second tally of the contest 33 seconds later to run the Pacific advantage to 5-1. Pacific's overwhelming third period continued as Mariana Duarte made it a 6-1 Tigers lead with a goal at the 3:41 mark. After the Cougars scored at the 1:39 mark, Pacific answered right back on a power play goal by Christmas to run the lead to 7-2 by the end of the third period.

Azusa Pacific scored the first two goals of the fourth period to draw to within three goals at 7-4, but the Tigers would go on to finish the match with four unanswered tallies. Goals by Hlavata (4:48), Tamas (2:31), Trudy Dorland (1:31) and Aelish Guinn (0:27) sealed the victory for Pacific.

Pacific went 3-for-6 on the power play and shot .324 for the match. Netminder Alexis Hollinrake saved .733 percent of the shots attempted by Azusa Pacific finishing with 11 saves.

The Tigers return home to continue conference play as they take on Loyola Marymount on Friday at Chris Kjeldsen Pool. Match time is set for 4 p.m. PDT.