'Dogs split Saturday games against No. 8 Cal, Fresno Pacific

Saturday, February 20

Fresno, Calif.

1 p.m. PT

Fresno State

Cal

Photo by: Keith Kountz

'Dogs split Saturday games against No. 8 Cal, Fresno Pacific

2/20/2021 8:45:00 PM | Water Polo

Photo Gallery - Cal (Keith Kountz)Photo Gallery

By: Savannah Stoeckle / Strategic Communications Assistant

FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State water polo team split its games with No. 8 Cal and Fresno Pacific at the Aquatics Center on Saturday. The 11th-ranked Bulldogs fell in an overtime battle 11-9 to Cal, but bounced back against Fresno Pacific to defeat the Sunbirds 22-5. Fresno State moves to 3-3 on the season.

Six Bulldogs chalked goals in the overtime game with Cal. The team was led by Emily Nicholson with a hat trick. Kate Watley spent the entire 38 minutes in the cage for the 'Dogs and recorded eight saves against a fiery offense. In the evening game with Fresno Pacific, the offensive efforts were on full display with 13 'Dogs getting in on the scoring. The Bulldogs were led by freshman Kelsey McKenney who scored four goals on four shots. Hope Stokes and Mackenzie Matheny split time in the goal for the Bulldogs.

vs. No. 8 Cal - Fresno State got out to an early 3-0 lead before Cal could score its first goal of the game with 3:44 left in the first quarter. The offensive efforts were back-and-forth for the remainder of the first half as the third quarter began with a 5-5 tie. The Bulldogs again scored the first three goals of the quarter to extend their lead to 8-5 and eventually end the quarter out-scoring the Bears four-to-one to carry a 9-6 lead into the final period of regulation. Cal found its offensive rhythm in the fourth, and forced an overtime period with a goal in the final five seconds of the period to tie the game at nine each.

Cal scored a goal in each overtime period to cap off its 11-9 win.

vs. Fresno Pacific - The Bulldogs' offense was on full display in the evening game at the Aquatics Center. Fresno State out-shot FPU 36-27 en route to a dominant 22-5 victory. Fresno State was out to an 8-0 lead before the Sunbirds could get on the board in the second quarter. Six different Bulldogs scored the eight goals to kickstart the game.

Each team scored two goals apiece in the second quarter to take a 11-2 Bulldog lead into the half. At halftime, Grace O'Callaghan, Isabella Sonkoly and Kaitlin Howarth led the team with two goals each. It took just under two minutes in the third quarter for either team to score. McKenney netted her first goal of the game at the 6:03 mark of the third quarter. The freshman from Clovis had a strong second half, scoring three more times in the remainder of the third quarter.

O'Callaghan, Sonkoly, Howarth, McKenney, Maddie Loggins, Callie Woodruff, Apryl Gonzalez, Megan Greenwood, Emily Diacono, Tori Gacutan, Erin McBride, Mia Barr and Bailey Hansen were the 'Dogs involved in the scoring efforts for Fresno State.

In the cage, Stokes had five saves and Matheny registered three.

What's Next? - The Bulldogs welcome UC Davis to the Aquatics Center for a double header beginning at noon on Saturday, Feb. 27.

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