SEASIDE, Calif. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team fell 14-7 to Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday afternoon.
Despite the loss, the Bobcats (4-20) got another four-goal outing from Claudette Asenjo. It marked her fourth straight hat trick and her third time in the last four matches scoring four goals.
Breyenne Pierce scored two goals, while Piper Ferris added one for UC Merced.
Amelie Ramirez made eleven saves and had three steals.
Cal State Monterey Bay scored two goals in the first two minutes which set the tone for a busy offensive first quarter. The Bobcats cut the deficit in half with a Pierce goal, but the Otters responded with two more unanswered scores to go up 4-1 at the 3:53 mark. Two Asenjo goals cut the deficit back to a one-score game, 4-3. However, CSUMB kept getting those goals back and they led 6-3 at the end of the first quarter.
After a track meet of a first quarter, defense was the theme of the second quarter. CSUMB shutout the Bobcats, while only managing one goal of their own coming at the 5:33 mark. The Otters led 7-3 at halftime.
The Bobcats battled and traded goals with the Otters for the first two minutes of the third quarter, but the home team got the better of the Bobcats as the frame went on and put together a 4-0 run that stretched into the fourth quarter ultimately extending the lead to 13-5.
Asenjo and Pierce managed a fourth quarter goal.
Up next, UC Merced will play at Whittier College on Friday, April 4. The match is scheduled for 3:00pm at Lillian Slade Aquatics Center in Whittier, Calif.
