Long Beach State University
CSUN
49ers run continues at Big West Tournament
4/30/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 30, 2011
Santa Barbara, Calif. - Senior goaltender Kristen Stragier stopped a penalty shot in overtime while Chelsea Parks scored the only goal for either side in extra time as No. 16 Long Beach State's run in the Big West Tournament continued with a 7-6 victory over No. 15 Cal State Northridge.
With the win, the 49ers (14-16) defeated Cal State Northridge (21-15) for the third time this season, and advanced to the Big West Championship game where Long Beach State will face No. 10 UC Irvine for the opportunity to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
The match was tight throughout, as the teams equaled goals after each period in regulation. Lauren Sieprath got the 49ers on the board, while the Matadors evened the score with a goal in the final minute of the first.
After each team scored a goal in the second period, there was more scoring in the third. The Matadors took the lead with two unanswered goals at 4-3, but Long Beach State pulled back into the lead with a goal from Melissa Matheson in the third. Whitney Delgado answered with her third goal for CSUN with 1:40 in the period to tie the game at 5-5 heading into the fourth period.
Cal State Northridge again took the lead at 6-5 with a goal from Melissa Doll with just 2:36 to play in regulation, but Melissa Matheson converted on a penalty shot in the next minute to tie the game, bringing the teams to overtime.
With 2:13 in the first overtime, Stragier made her biggest save of the match, stopping a penalty shot, and in the ensuing possession, Parks scored the only goal in the overtime periods as the 49ers held on to the lead to get the win.
No. 16 Long Beach State - 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 0 | 7
No. 15 CS Northridge - 1, 1, 3, 1, 0, 0 | 6
GOALS
LBSU: Julia Garyfallou 2, Melissa Matheson 2, Krizia Cerda, Chelsea Parks, Lauren Sieprath
CSUN: Whitney Delgado 3, Melissa Doll, Celina Photopulos, Sydney Sonoda
SAVES
LBSU: Kristen Stragier, 8
CSUN: Dana Harvey, 11
