BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The 18th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team will make its first Western Water Polo Association championship game appearance since 2004 after defeating Colorado State 14-8 in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon in Bakersfield. UCSD scored five goals each in the second and fourth quarters to pull away as Kirsten Bates led the way with five goals.

"I'm so proud of the way our team rebounded from an earlier loss to Colorado State," said head coach Brad Kreutzkamp. "Our goal all year was to get this team back to where it belongs, in the championship game... and now we have one more to go."

With the win, UCSD evens its record to 18-18 on the year.

Markayla Quane added 13 saves and upped her season total to 313 which is a single-season school record.

In addition to Bates' five scores, Audra Bloom and Stephanie Heinrich scored three goals each. T.C. Coles, Jessica Tran and Hanalei Crowell also poured in goals for the Tritons.

"Colorado State is a very good team, but today was our day," said Kreutzkamp. "We finished our shots and played solid defense, led by Stephanie Bocian and Markayla Quane."

After scoring the first two goals of the game, the Rams battled back and tied the game at the end of the first quarter.

UCSD scored the first four goals of the second quarter as Bloom scored twice while Bates and Heinrich also scored to put UCSD up 6-2 with 4:32 remaining in the half. CSU pulled within 6-4, but Heinrich scored with :48 left to give the Tritons a 7-4 lead at halftime.

After CSU pulled within 8-6 in the third, Bloom scored again to put the Tritons up 9-6 heading into the fourth quarter.

Bates scored three of her goals in the final quarter as Coles and Crowell also scored to close out the victory.

UC San Diego advances to the WWPA title game where it will face Loyola Marymount. First sprint on Sunday is set for 3:00 p.m. in Bakersfield.