GENEVA, Ohio - The UC San Diego women's water polo team earned its fourth Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) title in the past five years Sunday, beating Cal State East Bay, 10-8, at SPIRE Institute.
"We're doing something right," head coach Brad Kreutzkamp said. "These players worked really hard, did the things they needed to do and they're just competitors."
The Tritons are closing in on reaching the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship for the third consecutive season with the victory. With the conference's automatic qualifier, UCSD will host Whittier College in a play-in game Saturday at 4 p.m. The full seeding and schedule will be released Monday at 5 p.m. The NCAA selection show can be watched here.
Jolene Guiliana recorded her second hat trick of the tournament en route to be named the WWPA Championship Most Valuable Player for the second straight year. All-Tournament Second Team member Lani Tittle led the Tritons on offense scoring a career-high four games in the title match. Additionally, Courtney Miller, All-Tournament First Team honoree, held the Pioneers to eight goals while recording seven stops.
“Jolene has played in the shadow of some outstanding players and it was good to see her get some recognition today,” Kreutzkamp said. “She had a fantastic tournament and just kept counterattacking like crazy. She wasn't going to be denied.”
After All-Tournament First Team honoree Lauren Boyer opened the match with a score, CSUEB's Taylor Cross netted back-to-back goals to give the Pioneers a 2-1 lead. However, that would be CSUEB's only lead of the match.
The Tritons went on a four goal run that spanned the end of the first quarter and most of the second. With 2:39 left in the half, Cross completed the hat trick to pull the Pioneers within two.
Still, UCSD broke away in the third frame as they outscored CSUEB, 5-1. Guiliana completed the hat trick by scoring the first goal of the second half, and Julia Kirkland scored her first of the game minutes later.
“I think the turning point came when we got a couple of quick, solid counterattack goals to start the third quarter,” Guiliana said. “Courtney (Miller) threw some great passes, and we were able to convert.”
Tittle, who had already scored in the second period, dominated the final minutes of the third quarter. The attacker scored three goals in the frame to not only complete the hat trick, but give the Tritons a 10-4 advantage heading into the final quarter.
The Pioneers threatened to come from behind in the fourth period. CSUEB scored four goals while holding UCSD scoreless, but the Tritons held on for the 10-8 victory.
“The environment was a little different, the course a little bigger, which played to our advantage,”
Kreutzkamp said. “I also think we're a little more polished in this type of scenario and the first round bye helped. You've got to give East Bay credit, though. They're scrappy and never quit.”
The third-consecutive title is the second longest streak in WWPA history behind Loyola Marymount's five-straight crowns from 2001-2005.
The Tritons will move into the next round of postseason play with the NCAA play-in game against Whittier at 4 p.m. Saturday. The NCAA selection show can be watched here.
“It feels great to win this for the third time in a row,” Guiliana said. “They gave us a tough game last time, but I don't think we were really ready and the bigger pool let us swim and play our counterattack game. We knew deep down we were a better team. It's exciting, and I'm glad our season isn't over."
2015 WWPA Women's Championship All-Tournament Teams
1st Team
Jolene Guiliana, UC San Diego (Most Valuable Player)
Lauren Boyer, UC San Diego
Courtney Miller, UC San Diego
Marrina Nation, Cal State East Bay
Taylor Cross, Cal State East Bay
Tatiana Veloso, Cal State Monterey Bay
Amanda Jennings, Cal State Monterey Bay
Andrea Mallul, Sonoma State
2nd Team
Lani Tittle, UC San Diego
Casey Rushforth, Cal State East Bay
Kara Orr, Cal State Monterey Bay
Alexa May, Sonoma State
Shanen Lazenby, Gannon
Box Score
CSUEB 2 1 1 4 8
UCSD 3 2 5 0 10
Goals
UCSD: Lani Tittle 4, Jolene Guiliana 3, Laurel Kistler 1, Julia Kirkland 1, Lauren Boyer 1
CSUEB: Taylor Cross 3, Tori Dettloff 2, Casey Rushforth 2, Bre Ritter 1
Saves:
UCSD: Courtney Miller 7
CSUEB: Marrina Nation 10
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