Freshman Julia Garyfallou scored four goals to lift the Long Beach State women’s water polo team to its first Big West Conference victory of the with an 11-8 victory over Cal State Northridge on Sunday at the 49er Campus Pool.
LBSU (12-15, 1-3 Big West Conference) sophomore Melissa Matheson registered a hat trick, while freshman Coriann Snyder scored twice. Seniors Meaghan Leonard and Lauren Sieprath also found the back of the net for LBSU.
Senior goalkeeper Kristen Stragier anchored the defense with seven saves.
The Beach poured on the offense after holding a 6-4 lead at the break with three unanswered goals to start the third frame. Matheson found the back of the net at the 6:14 mark before Garyfallou netted her third and fourth goals of the day from the right wing to put LBSU on top, 9-4. Sieprath would eventually convert on a power play to give the 49ers a 10-5 edge heading into the fourth quarter.
The Matadors threatened in the final period, cutting the deficit to three with six minutes to play. Matheson stopped the Northridge run as she completed her hat trick at the 4:35 mark. CSUN would tack on one more but LBSU was able to shut the Matadors down over the final three minutes to hold on for the 11-8 win.
CSUN (21-13, 3-2 Big West) took a 1-0 advantage just 30 seconds into the game before the 49ers responded on its ensuing possession with a goal by Matheson at the 7:10 mark.
The Matadors would go back up by one, but the 49ers answered again as Leonard tied it up, Garyfallou scored from long distance to give them their first lead of the day.
CSUN found the back of the net with 32 ticks on the clock to even the game at 3-3.
The 49ers rallied in the second quarter to take a lead that it would not relinquish. Snyder netted back-to-back goals before Garyfallou scored at the 3:11 mark to give LBSU a 6-3 advantage. Lyndsy Nelson closed the gap to two at intermission as she scored for CSUN with 1:41 remaining.
Whitney Delgado and Nelson paced Cal State Northridge with two goals apiece.
LBSU will host UC Irvine in its regular-season finale at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the 49er Campus Pool.
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