FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 3 Fresno State water polo team opened up the Bulldog Mini with a 23-3 win over Fresno Pacific at the Aquatics Center on Friday night. The Bulldogs recorded their largest margin of victory in a game in program history while tying the single game program record for goals scored.
Twelve different Bulldogs were in on the goal scoring on Friday night while keepers Ida Tully-Giles and Kelly Villanueva split time in the cage. Hailey Andress and Abbey Simshauser led the 'Dogs with four goals each. Villanueva got the win while tallying nine saves and allowing only one goal in 16 minutes of play.
Sidney Strickland scored her first career goal on Friday night. Additional goal scorers included Brooke Ochoa (3), Megan Cranley (2), Ashley Williams (2), Kira Anderson (2), Cynthia Rosa (1), Ella Simone (1), Elisa Grim (1), Alice Johnson (1) and Robyn Greenslade (1).
How it happened
Fresno State got out to a 4-0 lead with goals from Ashley Williams, Cynthia Rosa, Hailey Andress and Abbey Simshauser in the first five minutes of play. FPU scored its first goal of the game at the 3:14 mark. Andress scored another off a penalty shot and Kira Anderson hit one in at the final second to take a 6-1 lead into the break.
In the first 10 seconds of the second quarter, Robyn Greenslade found the back of the net to extend the lead. Brooke Ochoa and Andress scored goals of their own to extend the lead to 9-1 before FPU scored their only goal of the period at the 6:07 mark. Ella Simone, Andress, Anderson, Simshauser, and Alice Johnson each found a way to score for the Bulldogs to bring the halftime lead to 15-2.
Williams opened up scoring out of the half, and FPU would score their final goal about a minute into the third quarter. Simshauser scored her fourth and final goal of the night at the 4:15 mark in the third quarter. Elisa Grim got in on the scoring with a converted penalty shot at the 3:36 mark to extend the lead to 15, 18-3. Megan Cranley and Ochoa added a pair for the 'Dogs for a 20-3 lead heading into the final quarter.
The attack continued for the Bulldogs, as did the strong defense. Sidney Strickland, Cranley and Ochoa scored the only three goals in the final quarter as the 'Dogs held the Sunbirds from scoring anymore.
Notable
Fresno State moves to 9-0 in the series with Fresno Pacific.
Fresno State tied its program record for most goals scored in a game (23). The last time the Bulldogs scored 23 goals was against the Sunbirds on Feb. 8, 2019.
Fresno State secured its largest margin of victory with the 20-goal difference against the Sunbirds. The previous record was 19 goals in a 23-4 win over FPU in Feb. 2019.
Fresno State scored 20+ goals in a game for the first since Mar. 19, 2022 (20, vs Concordia).
Fresno State scored 20+ goals in a game for the eighth time in program history.
Fresno State shot .639 percent on Friday, its highest shooting percentage of the season.
Fresno State won all four sprints with Cynthia Rosa credited for three, and Kira Anderson the fourth.
Clovis native Sidney Strickland scored her first collegiate goal.
Brooke Ochoa led the team with three steals.
Up Next
Fresno State returns to the pool against Whittier College tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. at the Aquatics Center. The first meeting between the programs will be live scored on The FOSH. Admission to the Aquatics Center is free.
The Bulldog Mini wraps up with five games on Saturday. More on the tournament can be found at the Tournament Central.