Long Beach State Fights Back After Early Deficit But Falls On Senior Night, 10-7

Thursday, April 18

Long Beach, Calif.

7:00 PM

Long Beach State University

UC Irvine

Photo by: John Fajardo

Long Beach State Fights Back After Early Deficit But Falls On Senior Night, 10-7

4/18/2019 10:08:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

LBSU hosted UC Irvine in another Black and Blue rivalry match and will shift their attention to the regular season finale on Saturday.

By: Antonio Camberos, Athletic Communications Coordinator

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State found themselves down early in the match, 4-1, but a trio of goals in the third quarter would pull them within one. No. 13 LBSU (15-13, 1-3) and No. 7 UC Irvine (18-8, 4-1) would exchange goals in the fourth quarter, but a Tara Prentice would put UCI up two to end LBSU's chances of winning the match. LBSU's efforts came up short, 10-7. LBSU was led by freshman Orsi Hertzka who capped her seventh hat trick of the year and her 11th game scoring 3+ goals.

LBSU and UC Irvine traded goals in the opening minutes of the first quarter with senior Annabel Harman scoring for the Beach. The Anteaters then scored three straight goals prior to the end of the first quarter with LBSU facing a 4-1 deficit.

The second quarter served a defensive battle between Long Beach State and UC Irvine with neither team scoring until the final minute of the quarter. LBSU had another senior sighting with Tori Morrissey scoring in the final minute of the second quarter to pull the Beach within two.

The Anteaters opened the third quarter scoring twice in the first couple of minutes before LBSU could respond. Harman put in her second goal of the game, followed by Hertzka netting at 3:28 left in the third quarter. Freshman Sarah Barker saw daylight at the :43 mark in the third quarter to pull the Beach within one heading into the fourth quarter.

LBSU and UCI exchanged goals to open the fourth quarter with both goals coming from Hertzka. Long Beach State kept battling as they were down one entering the final minutes of the match. But Tara Prentice, of UC Irvine, scored at the 1:54 mark to put UCI up, 9-7. LBSU would continue to fight but fall 10-7.

Hertzka now has 65 goals on the season and has moved herself up to be tied with Roberta Stewart for fourth all time in LBSU history in goals scored in a season. Morrissey adds up 30 goals this season and more notably added two more assists this season to bring her total to 28 assists. The 28 assists for Morrissey ties her for 10th all-time in LBSU history for most assists in a single season. Morrissey ties Tara Campbell and Roberta Stewart. After the two goals tonight, Harman has 33 total goals, while Barker has 34.

LBSU will be back in action on Saturday at noon as they travel to Santa Barbara for their regular season finale against No. 11 UC Santa Barbara.