11:45am | Lauren Sieprath’s breakaway shot in the last minute was turned aside as Long Beach State’s women’s water polo team fell one goal short of pulling back an early four-goal deficit in an 8-7 loss to No. 16 UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. 

UC Santa Barbara, (20-10, 3-1) held the advantage early as the Gauchos scored in the opening minute, and added two more goals in the first quarter as UCSB took an early 3-0 lead.

After the Gauchos scored the fourth goal of the game in the first minute of the second quarter to move ahead 4-0, the 49ers were able to answer. Meaghan Leonard put No. 19 Long Beach State (11-15, 0-3) on the board with a goal at 4:48, and another goal before the end of the half cut the Gaucho lead to two. However, a penalty shot converted by Kathryn Nelson with 2:51 to go in the half gave UCSB a 5-2 cushion at the break.

Bit the second half belonged to the 49ers as Long Beach State scored on their first possession of the half on a goal by Snyder, cutting the lead to one for the first time with a goal by Krizia Cerda with 5:36 in the period. UCSB was able to answer to keep their lead at two going into the fourth.

Snyder came back for the 49ers, scoring off the spring and then adding another following a goal by Claire Buchanan. After UCSB scored its eighth and final goal with 5:49 to play, a score by Melissa Matheson cut the lead back to one at 8-7.

Long Beach State’s best chance came in the final minute, as a steal resulted in a two-on-one breakaway for Lauren Sieprath and Chelsea Parks, but Sieprath’s shot was turned just wide off the fingertips of Ruth Milne to preserve the Gauchos’ victory.

The 49ers returned to the Campus Pool on Sunday for another Big West contest against No. 14 Cal State Northridge.