BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team dropped a pair of matches at the Indiana Classic on Sunday, falling 21-8 to No. 16 CSUN and 17-6 to Salem.

The Bobcats (1-5) eight goals scored against CSUN marks the highest scoring output against a nationally-ranked team in program history. It also ties the program's single-game scoring record against any NCAA Division One opponent.

Freshman Kiryn Wicker led the charge with five goals on Sunday, including notching a hat trick in the efforts against CSUN. She scored twice against WWPA member Salem. Claudette Asenjo had a multi-goal game in the opener before adding one more against Salem. Goalkeeper Amelie Ramirez had eleven and eight saves against CSUN and Salem, respectively.

Match One: No. 16 CSUN 21, UC Merced 8

CSUN jumped on UC Merced from the beginning with a 6-1 goal scoring run in the first six minutes of the match. After the early surge, the Bobcats defense held CSUN without another goal until the 3:24 mark of the second and just two total the rest of the half. Offensively, the Bobcats started to find their rhythm and managed to pull within three goals before intermission, 8-5. Wicker had two second quarter goals to keep the Bobcats within striking distance.

The nationally-ranked Matadors pushed their advantage to 11-5 with three unanswered goals to start the third quarter. Asenjo ended the spurt with a goal of her own, but CSUN answered with its biggest run of the game to create the separation they needed. CSUN scored five straight in the final four minutes of the third and then extended the run into the final frame with three more goals. The 8-0 explosion put CSUN ahead 19-6. Each team scored two goals in the final six minutes, with Asenjo and Aislyn Sorsky accounting for the Bobcats tallies.

Goals: Melanie Torres (1), Sorsky (1), Asenjo (2), Viviana Luna (1), Wicker (3)

Match Two: Salem 17, UC Mered 6

Salem scored three straight to begin the match before Torres beat the first quarter buzzer to put the Bobcats on the board. Both teams were quick to score in the second quarter, but after Wicker's goal approximately two minutes in, the Bobcats were held scoreless the rest of the half. Meanwhile, Salem spread out three goals in the stretch to hold a 7-2 lead at intermission.

Salem opened the second half with a 4-0 run extending its lead to 11-2. Asenjo accounted for the Bobcats lone third quarter goal as they fell behind 12-3. The Bobcats were unable to cut into the deficit, but did score three fourth quarter goals to finish with six in the match. Arianna Martinez scored one of the Bobcats fourth quarter goals, her first of the season.

Goals: Martinez (1), Torres (1), Asenjo (1), Luna (1), Wicker (2)

UC Merced faced both opponents for the first time in program history.

Up next, UC Merced will have some time off before playing three NCAA Division I Top 20 teams at the Aggie Invite in Davis, Calif., February 8-9.