All Top Seeds Advance in Day One of 3C2A Women's Water Polo Championships

The 2023 3C2A Women's Water Polo State Championships kicked off today with four games that display both region's top four teams. All top seeds advanced with the north's top-seeded West Valley College Vikings and the second-seeded Sierra College Wolverines moving on, while they the south's top-seeded Santa Barbara City College Vaqueros and the second-seeded Riverside City College Tigers cruised through the opening round of play.

SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17

GAME ONE: North's top-seeded West Valley squeezes by the south's fourth-seeded Saddleback, 15-14.

The Bobcats gave the top-ranked Vikings a run for their money in the most exciting women's showdown of the day.

Saddleback jumped out to an early 5-4 advantage after the opening sparked by three goals from Aaliyah Burns. Lola Annear backed her with two netters to keep the Vikings on their heals.

West Valley brought the contest to a seven-all tie at halftime, but three scores compliments of West Valley's Sofia Orlandi Lazzarini brought the Vikings to within one after a third-quarter shootout. They continued to outscore the Bobcats, 4-2, in the final frame leading to the victory.

West Valley's Mendoza led with five goals, while Orlando Lazzarini followed with four scores.

GAME TWO: South's second-seeded Riverside routes north's fourth-seeded Modesto

The Tigers were no match for the Pirates as they leap out to a sizable six-goal lead in the first quarter and never looked back. They kept the Pirates off the scoreboard in the second quarter, followed by allowing just one goal each in the following two quarters.

Riverside's Jessie Nelson led the way with five goals and one assist, while Mikayla Nielsen backed her with four goals. Grace Deen and Nicole Robertson each netted to scores. Sofia Mather earned the win with 11 saves in three quarters of work.

GAME THREE: South's top-seeded Santa Barbara handles north's fourth-seeded Merced, 17-3

After a slow start that saw them only up two goals at the conclusion of the opening eight minutes, the Vaqueros turned on the burners to outscore Merced 13-1 the remainder of the way.

Eight different players scored at least one goal with four players netting a trio of scores. SBCC's Claire Daland, Natalie Mancinelli, Esther Sullivan and Cate Daland scored three goals each. Mancinelli led with three assists, while Maddie Myers chipped in two assists and one goal. Goalkeeper Kate Densmore picked up her 35^th win after hauling in 11 saves.

GAME FOUR: North's second-seeded Sierra defeats south's third-seeded Long Beach, 10-5

After Long Beach's Sharon Vargas netted the opening goal of the game, it was all Sierra moving forward.

Sierra's Bailey Hollick continued to act as one of the most potent weapons in the state after scoring a team-high four goals with three coming in the first frame. Heidi Green followed with three scores, while Emma Morse found he back of the net for the first score of the second quarter.

(Nicho DellaValle, 3CWPCA)