Furious Comeback Falls Just Short for Women's Water Polo in GCC Tournament

Posted: Apr 28, 2023

SAN DIEGO — The Santa Clara University women's water polo team gave the No. 17 team in the country and No. 2 seed in the 2023 Golden Coast Conference Championship Tournament all it could handle Friday, scoring 10 goals – including seven unanswered in the fourth period – against LMU before the Lions survived to advance at San Diego State's Aztec Aquaplex.

The seventh-seeded Broncos (10-20) will face No. 8 seed California Baptist in the seventh-place game at 10 a.m. Saturday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.

Santa Clara trailed 12-3 heading into the final period, but the offense stormed back and nearly earned the Broncos an upset. The defense also stepped up, forcing six missed shots by the Lions (14-14).

Chloe Morrison got the Broncos' fourth-period comeback started with her first of two goals in the period 35 seconds in. Freshman Sydney Maccabe scored her first of two goals in the fourth as well 44 seconds later, making it 12-5. Lauren Voss scored an even-strength goal at the five-minute mark to make it 12-6, and Maccabe's second tally made it 12-7.

Morrison turned in her second goal of the period just under the three-minute mark to pull Santa Clara within four at 12-8. All-GCC second team honoree and co-leading goal scorer Kate Rodman netted her second goal of the game with 55 seconds to play, making it 12-9. Alyssa Jacobsen would give the Broncos one more goal with seven seconds remaining to get the final 12-10 score.

Voss tallied two assists, Sophia Harvey and Harper Daniels each had an assist, and so did Jacobsen. Liyara Senadheera made eight saves and had two steals in net for the Broncos.

LMU was led by three goals from Marialena Seletopoulou. Goalie Madison Davis made six saves in the victory.