April 28, 2007

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - The Santa Clara women's water polo team met #8 ranked Loyola Marymount University for the first time all season Saturday in the WWPA Semifinals at UC Santa Cruz. Senior Andrea Evans scored two goals, and Brianna Anderson and Amy Lamb added goals as well, but the Broncos were unable to hold on to a 4-1 lead in the fourth quarter as the Lions came from behind to win 5-4.

Early in the first quarter, Loyola Marymount took a 1-0 lead, and it was a tightly contested match for the entire first half. With 3:42 remaining in the second quarter, Evans broke the tie as the teams went to halftime tied 1-1.

Then in the second half, the Broncos jumped on the Lions, scoring three goals. Evans got it started a minute and a half into the third quarter, and then Anderson and Lamb increased the lead to 4-1 by quarter's end.

But in the fourth quarter, Loyola Marymount rallied to score four goals, while keeping Santa Clara off the scoreboard. After three minutes, the Lions had narrowed the lead to just one goal 4-3, and then with two and a half minutes remaining the score was tied 4-4.

Then in the final seconds, LMU's Dora Szabolcsi scored the game winner with 13 seconds remaining to seal the victory and send the Lions to the finals, while the Broncos return to the third place match for the second year in a row.

The third place match will take place Sunday at 1:45 and will feature the loser of UC Davis and UC San Diego.