STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific women's water polo team (2-4) kept their foot on the gas against No. 17 California, but was unable to keep up in the second half in a 17-9 loss to the Golden Bears Saturday afternoon at the Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Pacific Aquatics Center.
 
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

• Brianna Utas paced the Tigers throughout the match with a team-high five points – two goals and three assists – while also logging three steals.
• Pacific kept the offensive pressure on California all afternoon, recording 23 total shots in the contest, but could not seem to find enough rhythm to grab the lead over the Golden Bears.

FIRST PERIOD:

• Toula Falvey got the Tigers on the board first with an even-strength goal just 14 seconds after the opening sprint.
• After a couple of goals from the Bears, Brianna Utas evened the score at 2 with an even-strength goal of her own at the 4:23 mark. 
• Lucy Davis helped Pacific punch back with a power play goal at 2:19 to bring the Tigers within one at the end of eight minutes.

SECOND PERIOD:

• Cal opened the period with a five-meter goal, but Pacific kept the offensive pressure on their opponent by responding with a couple shots of their own, including one from Falvey that ricocheted off the post.
• Ana Martinez do Amaral countered at 2:56 with a penalty goal of her own to keep the Bears on their heels.
• Heading into the locker room, the Tigers trailed Cal, 9-4.

THIRD PERIOD:

• Pacific came out of the gates firing with a shot from Brooke Contreras in the first minute of play.
• Natalie Hosmer got the Tigers on the third-quarter scoreboard with a goal at 2:55 from Brianna Utas.
• At the end of three periods of play, UOP trailed the Bears, 15-5.

FOURTH PERIOD:

• Davis won the opening sprint, but the Tigers then capitalized on a Cal exclusion as Martinez do Amaral scored on another assist from Utas.
• Shining in her time in the pool, Martinez do Amaral found the back of the cage with 11 seconds left on the game eclock, completing the hat trick and bringing her total on the day to a team-high three goals.
• Unfortunately, No. 11 Pacific fell to No. 6 Cal by a final score of 17-9.

UP NEXT: The Tigers will head to the Aggie Invite at UC Davis, taking place next weekend, Feb. 15-16 at the Schaal Aquatics Center. Pacific will face Stanford first at 11:15 a.m. before taking on Fresno State later at 6:00 p.m on the 15th. UOP will round out tournament play with a matchup against the host Aggies on the 16th at 3:00 pm.
 
FOLLOW US: For more information and updates on the Pacific women's water polo team, please follow the team on Twitter (@Pacific_WWP), Instagram (@pacificwaterpolo) and Facebook (@pacificwomenswaterpolo).