HAYWARD, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team suffered a pair of setbacks on Saturday, falling 27-3 to NCAA Division II foe Cal State East Bay and 23-7 to NCAA Division I opponent VMI.

Viviana Luna led the Bobcats (6-7) with six of her team's ten goals. She scored a pair in Saturday's opener, before going for four goals against VMI. Luna has now scored multiple goals in nine consecutive games and has as at least a hat-trick in three of the last four outings. Luna's four goals marked the most by any Bobcat against a four-year varsity program this year.

Arianna Martinez netted two goals against VMI, while Hope Stokes and Jacqueline Azevedo found the back of the net once against CSUEB and VMI, respectively. Stokes was also credited with four steals against CSUEB.

The Bobcats fell behind 11-0 against Cal State East Bay by the end of the first quarter and were never able to recover. Luna scored two unanswered goals in the second quarter, but the Bobcats were only able to score one more time the remainder of the match.

UC Merced's second game of the day started with a flurry of goals before VMI pulled away. The two teams combined for five goals in the first 103 seconds and the Bobcats were within one, trailing 3-2. Luna scored both of the Bobcats first two goals.  However, VMI scored seven consecutive goals and only added to their lead the rest of the way.

The Bobcats were without Stokes against VMI.

Carlin Rodelo played all 64 minutes in the cage for the Bobcats and combined for 15 saves, including ten against VMI.

Up next, the Bobcats will play at Cal State Monterey Bay on Tuesday, March 28 at 6:00pm in Seaside, Calif.