MERCED, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team fell 17-4 to Cal State East Bay on Friday afternoon at the Aquatic Center. Prior to the match, Hope Stokes was honored in a Senior Day celebration.

The Bobcats (2-21) scored three first half goals and then added one more in the fourth quarter in the fourth ever meeting against the Pioneers. The Bobcats four goals marked their highest scoring output in the series history with CSUEB.

Melanie Torres scored two goals, while Liberty Hamilton and Aislyn Sorsky scored one goal each.

Hope Stokes tallied six saves in 22 minutes in the cage. The senior finished the match as a field player.

CSUEB led 2-0 five minutes into the contest before Hamilton put the Bobcats on the board and cut the deficit in half. After another CSUEB score, Torres deposited a shot into the back of the net to make it 3-2. However, the Bobcats trailed 4-2 at the end of the first quarter.

Scoring was hard to come by in the second frame but Torres scored midway through the quarter to bring the Bobcats back within a goal, 4-3. CSUEB responded with a goal on the next possession and then again at the 3:18 mark. That was it offensively for both teams as the visiting side led 6-3 at intermission.

The Pioneers were rolling early in the third quarter and they scored four times within the first three minutes to extend their lead to 10-3. After nearly four minutes without a goal, the Pioneers' goals leader this season Luna Sermiento delivered a score on what would end up being her only shot of the day.

A goal a minute into the fourth quarter gave the Pioneers a 12-3 lead. Sorsky responded the next trip down the field, but that was the final goal the rest of the way for the Bobcats.

CSUEB added five more before the final buzzer resulting in the 17-4 Pioneers win.

Audrey Dexter led Cal State East Bay with four goals.

Up next, UC Merced will begin the NAIA West Invitational against OUAZ on Saturday, April 13 at 12:30pm at Cal Maritime's PEAC Pool in Vallejo, Calif.