Cal State Monterey Bay, Fresno Pacific advance to semifinals

WWPA Championship Central

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - Cal State Monterey Bay and Fresno Pacific advanced out of Friday's quarterfinal round to face the East and West Region top seeds on the opening day of the 2025 Western Water Polo Association Championship at Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park.

CSUMB (8-18), the No. 3 West seed, topped host No. 2 East seed Salem (10-18), 11-8, before No. 2 West seed Fresno Pacific (14-11) outlasted No. 3 East seed Gannon (7-14), 12-11.

Quarterfinal 1: #3W Cal State Monterey Bay 11 - #2E Salem 8

Cal State Monterey Bay and Salem went tit-for-tat in the opening quarter, but the Otter defense limited the Tigers to just a single goal in a 16-minute span in the second and third to pull away.

Allyson Ainsworth led all players with three goals to go along with three assists while teammate Autumn Day delivered a pair of goals and a pair of assists. Freshman goalkeeper Marissa White made eight saves.

Trailing 10-5 heading into the fourth, Salem rallied with three goals in the closing minutes, but couldn't quite close the gap. Emma Donnelly paced Salem with three goals and Lucy Bramwell contributed two.

Salem takes on UC Merced in an exhibition on Saturday before facing Gannon in Sunday's Fifth Place game.

Quarterfinal 2: #2W Fresno Pacific 12 - #3E Gannon 11

Fresno Pacific crawled out of an early hole and then held on against Gannon en route to a one-goal victory.

Gannon led by two, 5-3, after the opening quarter, but the Sunbirds held the Golden Knights to just a single goal in the second while scoring four of their own to take a 7-6 lead at the break.

GU twice pulled even with FPU in the third, but back-to-back goals from Regan Azevedo and Maggie Cook gave the Sunbirds a 12-10 lead with 4:28 remaining.

FPU held GU without a score the next six possessions, and Jade Strickland's goal with six seconds remaining was too little, too late.

Strickland and Cook led all scorers in the quarterfinals with five goals apiece. Cook's eight points, including three assists, are currently a tournament high.

Gannon takes on UC Merced in an exhibition on Saturday before facing Salem in Sunday's Fifth Place game.