LOS ANGELES – The No. 2 seed Fresno State water polo team advances back to the Golden Coast Conference Championship Game with a 19-12 win over the No. 3 seed Pacific on Saturday afternoon at Burns Aquatic Complex. Fresno State will face the No. 1 seed LMU for the title, a rematch of the 2024 championship game.
The Bulldogs were led on Saturday by a career-best performance from senior Brooke Ochoa. The Carlsbad, Calif. native had 10 points in the semifinal game from a program-record seven goals and three assists. She also had five steals and a drawn exclusion.
In goal, sophomore Ida Tully-Giles came in clutch on multiple occasions. She finished the game with five saves, playing all 32 minutes.
Additional goal-scorers other than Ochoa included Hailey Andress, Abbey Simshauser, Caitlyn Mossman and Sidney Strickland with two scores each. Marit van der Kolk, Ella Simone, Elisa Grim and Megan Cranley added one goal apiece.
Fresno State shot above .500 for the seventh time this season and second time in the GCC tournament.
How it Happened
After being beaten on the opening sprint, the Bulldogs got in their groove and were out to 4-0 lead with a pair of goals apiece from Hailey Andress and Brooke Ochoa. The Tigers were able to cut the lead down to just one goal with three unanswered to close the first half. Fresno State led 4-3 after one. Ida Tully-Giles saw a clutch play on a 4-on-6 look for the Bulldogs, stopping an aggressive shot attempt by the Tigers.
Ochoa completed her early hat trick with the first goal of the second quarter at the 5:57 mark, extending the Bulldog lead back to two at 5-3. Pacific's Dora Alaksza answered back with a long-range goal, but the Bulldogs worked and got the goal back with a strong effort at center from Caitlyn Mossman.
Ella Simone fired in a shot from the right wing, extending the Bulldogs lead but the Tigers got a goal across in the final minute before halftime. Fresno State led 7-5 at the break.
Fresno State saw its biggest performance in the third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 7-4 in the quarter. UOP scored on its first possession to make it a one-score game, but Ochoa answered back just 13 seconds later. After a Bulldog exclusion, the Tigers took advantage and made it a one-goal game again. Mossman gave the 'Dogs another buffer but Alaksza made it a one-goal game yet again.
With 2:53 left in the third quarter, Abbey Simshauser lobbed a goal in from the center position that would spark a four-goal run for the 'Dogs. Fresno State led 14-9 at the end of the third quarter, with scoring capped by a goal from Elisa Grim that was set up by Ochoa.
Ochoa kept her foot on the gas, scoring on the first possession after the sprint win by Marit van der Kolk. Pacific scored on its next possession, and the teams went back and forth before Tully-Giles came up clutch with a save. Mossman saw a look she liked, but dinged the bar. The 'Dogs kept possession on the rebound and van der Kolk found Simshauser for the goal that gave Fresno State a 16-10 lead.
Fresno State outscored Pacific 3-2 in the final five minutes to claim the victory at the final buzzer.
Up Next
Fresno State will compete for its fifth straight GCC Championship title tomorrow at 1 p.m. PT. The 'Dogs will face the host school and top-seeded LMU for the title. In a rematch from the 2024 championship game, Fresno State looks to repeat following its 13-12 overtime win against the Lions a season ago.
More information on the GCC Championship can be found on the tournament central web page.