Seaside, Calif. – The Bronco women's water polo team traveled to Cal State Monterey Bay on Jan. 31 to play in the Otter Mini Tournament. The Broncos posted a 2-0 record for the weekend, defeating CSMU 10-3 and conference rival Fresno Pacific 13-7. The team is now 2-1 to start off their season.
The Broncos will now prep for their first travel trip of the season down to San Diego, Calif. to participate in the UC San Diego Triton Invitational starting Feb. 7. The Broncos will take on No. 6 UC Irvine in their first game of the tournament.
In their first game of the day, the Broncos took on old WWPA rival CS Monterey Bay. Off an earned ejection, Erin Sheridan put in the first Bronco goal to get the ball rolling. Elle Surber followed up with a goal, making it 2-0 Bronco lead. Off another earned ejection in the final minute, Elizabeth Anderson scored, giving the Broncos the 3-0 lead going into the second quarter.
Junior goalie Sydni Estrellla kept the Otters scoreless in the first quarter with two saves.
The Otters broke their silence to start off the second quarter, 3-1. Anderson found the back of the net for her second goal of the game, 4-1. The Broncos drew a penalty shot that was taken and converted by Surber giving the Broncos a four-goal lead. Surber scored her second of the quarter just over a minute later off a man-up play. The Otters put in one more goal off of their own man-up opportunity, but Julia Peters had the final goal of the quarter with just 30 seconds left on the clock, ending the quarter 7-2 Broncos advantage.
With goals by Ashleigh Bandimere and another by Surber, the Broncos took their lead even further, 9-2. Estrella came up with three more blocks in the third quarter, only allowing one goal by the Otters, 9-3 Broncos.
Both teams battled much of the fourth quarter. Anderson put in her third goal of the game on a penalty shot and the game ended 10-3 giving the Broncos their first win of the season.
In their second game of the day, the Broncos played the Sunbirds. The Sunbirds jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, but Lauren Radich fired one into the net to tie the game 1-1. Falling behind by one again, Sheridan scored to tie the game two all at the end of the first quarter.
Off an earned ejection, the Sunbirds went up 3-2, but less than a minute later Anderson tied the game for one final time 3-3. From there, the Broncos went on a two-goal run with goals by Peters and Surber and maintained the lead the rest of the game. The Sunbirds put in one final goal, making it 5-4 Broncos.
The Broncos started off the third quarter with another two-goal by Sheridan and Surber. Off an earned ejection, the Otters scored their fifth goal of the game, but that did not slow down the Broncos. Surber put in two more goals and Peters one, giving the Broncos the 10-6 lead.
Estrella came up with five saves this game and with two blocks in the fourth quarter, and only allowed one more goal by the Otters. Sheridan, Surber and Peters each had one more goal, taking home their second win of the day 13-7.
