LA JOLLA, Calif. - Kirsten Bates scored four goals and Felicia Orozco contributed three scores as the No. 18 UC San Diego women's water polo team defeated Cal State Bakersfield 14-11 in Western Water Polo Association play Friday evening at Canyonview Pool.

The win marks the Tritons' second against the Roadrunners in 2011 after having previously beating CSUB 13-10 on February 27. UCSD improves to .500 on the year at 8-8 overall and 5-1 in the WWPA. CSUB drops to 4-15 overall and 0-4 in the WWPA.

"This is a big win for us because it means we won't have to see Bakersfield until well into the (WWPA) tournament," said UCSD head coach Brad Kreutzkamp. "At this point it's all about putting yourself in the best position come the tournament."

Melissa Bartow drew an exclusion less than two minutes in, allowing Bates to score on a 6-on-5 to make it 1-0 UCSD. Orozco added a goal and the teams traded scores until Bartow drew a Triton penalty with 2:16 remaining in the first. Hanalei Crowell converted the penalty shot to put the Tritons up by one, 3-2. However, CSUB would score its second goal of the game from distance with under nine seconds remaining to tie the score heading into the first break.

Allie Taylor took over for Kristen Ostosh in the cage for UCSD and came up with a point-blank save to start the half. The Roadrunners would take their first lead three minutes in, scoring on a 6-on-5 after Bartow was excluded. However, Orozco scored again and a steal by Bates led Jessica Tran to a fastbreak goal as the Tritons re-took the lead with 2:40 remaining, 5-4. CSUB answered back but Leah Gonzales ripped the back of the net on a Triton advantage and Orozco struck with her third goal to the short post to give the Tritons a 7-5 lead heading into the half.

CSUB scored to open the second half, but Bates notched her second goal of the game by flinging in a backhanded shot from the set to keep the Triton lead at two. After Shannon McKenzie scored to bring CSUB within one, Roadrunner Bianca Adams picked off a Triton pass to start a three-on-two fastbreak. Tran gave Adams chase and Taylor got a fingertip to Adams' shot to dilute the threat.

The teams traded goals until Tran scored with 42 seconds remaining in the third to make it 10-8. Bakersfield attempted to hold for the final shot of the half, but Crowell stole a McKenzie pass at mid-tank, leading Natalie Peng for the counter-attack goal with 13 seconds left.

"Our counterattack in the third and fourth quarters are what really helped us pull away in this game," said Kreutzkamp.

Bates gave the Tritons their biggest lead of the game 45 seconds into the fourth, lofting a shot across goal to the far post to make it 12-8 UCSD. She would add another in the final frame along with Crowell as UCSD prevailed by three, 14-11.

UCSD will dive into the pool early tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. against Princeton in the Aztec Invitational at San Diego State. The team is also slated to play No. 20 Pacific at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday as well. The Tritons will face-off against No. 16 Cal State Northridge and No. 17 Indiana on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., respectively.