LA JOLLA, Calif. – The 19th-ranked UC San Diego women's water polo team scored four goals each in the second and third quarters to defeat No. 25 Cal State East Bay 11-5 in a Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) matchup Friday at Canyonview Aquatics Center. 

With the win, the Tritons improve to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The Pioneers drop to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in the WWPA.

Redshirt junior two-meter defender Alexis Wiesler led UCSD with five goals. Senior attacker Julia Kirkland pitched in two. Senior goalie Courtney Miller amassed five saves. Jenn Lightbody was CSUEB's leading scorer with two. Goalie Miranda Diehm saved nine shots.

The Tritons drew the first goal of the game as Kirkland was able to find the back of the cage. After a Pioneer score, Wieseler buried one with one second left in the first period on a powerplay to lead 2-1.

UCSD started the second period with four unanswered goals from Kirkland, sophomore utility Kayla Fedler, Wieseler and senior attacker Emma Sasson to take a commanding 6-1 lead. CSUEB's Lightbody scored with 1:57 remaining as the Tritons went into halftime with a four-goal advantage.

UCSD scored four in the third quarter, with two coming from Wieseler and one each from Kirkland and freshman attacker Chanel Schilling. The Pioneers put two away as the Tritons went into the final frame up 10-4.

The Tritons limited CSUEB to one goal and scored one in the final period to win by six.

UCSD will host the two-day Triton Invitational, Feb. 13-14. The Tritons will open the tournament against No. 17 Indiana, Feb. 13 at 9:20 a.m.

BOX SCORE
UCSD              2          4          4          1          -           11
CSUEB            1          1          2          1          -           5

Goals
UCSD: Alexis Wieseler 5, Julia Kirkland 2, Laurel Kistler 1, Kayla Fedler 1, Emma Sasson 1

CSUEB: Jenn Lightbody 1, Casey Rushforth 1, Rocio Fesembeck 1, Tori Dettloff 1

Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 5

CSUEB: Miranda Diehm 9

#TritonsRising