Fresno State
LMU
CHAMPS! 'Dogs repeat as GCC Tournament Champions
4/24/2022 6:33:00 PM | Water Polo
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Fresno State water polo team defended its Golden Coast Conference championship title, defeating LMU 11-8 on Sunday afternoon at the Lancer Aquatic Center.Â
The Bulldogs (19-7, 7-0 GCC) punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.
Goalkeeper Paula Nieto Jasny was named the GCC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Fanni Muzsnay and Yesenia Preciado earned All-GCC Tournament Team honors.
Muzsnay led the Bulldogs to victory with a game-high six goals. Additional goal scorers included Brooke Ochoa (2), Savannah Fitzgerald (1), Emily Diacono (1) and Sienna Jagielski (1).
Nieto Jasny played all 32 minutes in goal for Fresno State. She logged nine saves and one steal in the contest.Â
HOW IT HAPPENEDÂ
LMU had a fast offensive start, netting the first goal of the game. The teams exchanged goals throughout the rest of the quarter, with Muzsnay scoring all three goals for Fresno State. The Lions had a 4-3 advantage after the first eight minutes of play.
Daphne Guevremont hit Diacono with an entry pass for the game-tying goal. Fresno State made a defensive stop on the following possession and Ochoa cashed it in for a goal on the other side of the pool for the Bulldogs' first lead of the game. Muzsnay swiped a steal and took the ball the other way for a fastbreak goal. Ochoa dented the twine to make it a 4-0 run for Fresno State. The 'Dogs shutout the Lions for the entire quarter to take a 7-4 lead into halftime.
Muzsnay fired the ball into the back of the net on a power play to open the third quarter. After being held without a goal for 10 minutes, LMU scored with 5:31 left in the quarter. Muzsnay netted her sixth goal of the afternoon to finish the third quarter. The 'Dogs had a 9-5 lead going into the final eight minutes of regulation.
Fresno State started the fourth quarter strong with a goal from Fitzgerald. LMU quickly scored in response, but Jagielski fired the ball into the back of the net 'Dogs to make it a five-goal game with 6:28 left on the clock. Fresno State slowed the tempo down the stretch. The Lions netted two goals before time expired, but the 'Dogs took home the trophy with an 11-8 victory.Â
GAME NOTES:Â
- Fresno State won its second consecutive GCC Tournament Championship.Â
- Fresno State advances to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.Â
- 19 wins is the most in a season in program history.Â
- Fresno State has won 16 straight games.Â
- The GCC Tournament MVP is a Bulldog for the second consecutive year.
- Paula Nieto Jasny had 30 saves throughout the tournament.Â
- Fanni Muzsnay scored a team-high 12 goals throughout the tournament.Â
- Savannah Fitzgerald was 12-0 in sprints throughout the tournament.Â
QUOTES:Â
Head Coach Natalie Benson
"It's really hard to repeat as conference champions. Especially when there are a lot of expectations. We are a very talented and really competitive team, but there is a lot of external pressure from the win streak and the rankings. The team did a great job of buying into the idea that the only ranking that matters is the one that you have at the end of the season. We also had the mindset that the trophy wasn't ours to lose, it was anybodies to win. They really took all those ideals to heart and embodied that this weekend. I am really proud of the team."Â
"LMU is a tremendous team. They have a lot of great pieces on their team. They are powerful defenders, they shoot the ball really well and they are balanced. They are a talented team that has a lot of weapons, and they use them very effectively. They had a good game plan. We had to adjust and move into a different defense that created some good opportunities for us offensively."Â
Emily Nicholson, Sr., CenterÂ
"This championship feels equally as amazing as last year's championship. This is what we've been aiming for since last year, and it feels unreal that we achieved back-to-back championships. All of the work that everyone has put in this season to build off of what we did last season makes this moment so incredible. I am so proud of this team."Â
WHAT'S NEXTÂ
Fresno State will learn their fate in the NCAA Tournament tomorrow at 5 p.m. PT.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.Â
Follow us on:
Twitter: FresnoStateWP
Instagram: FresnoStateWP
