With their first two matches this season coming in conference play, it was important for the Cerritos College women's water polo team to get off to a good start. On Wednesday, the Falcons improved to 2-0 with their 16-3 win over visiting Pasadena City College. This weekend, the team will play four games at the Riverside City Tournament.

In defeating the Lancers (1-3, 0-2), Cerritos scored the first eight goals of the game, with their offense jump-started by their stingy defense. Tight pressure defense limited Pasadena City to just 14 shots on the day, while the Falcons took 29, with 16 of them finding the inside of the net. They opened a 4-0 lead after the first quarter, with sophomore Isabella Sierra (California HS) accounting for two of the goals, on her way to a game-high five tallies on the day. In addition to her offensive prowess, Sierra also recorded eight steals, while five different players scored for Cerritos.

Freshman Hailey Rabb (Gahr HS) accounted for all three of her goals in the second quarter, while sophomore Elisa Prohroff (Schurr HS) posted two of her four goals in the fourth quarter. The Falcons took a comfortable 9-1 lead into halftime and increased that lead to 13-3 heading into the fourth quarter. They kept the Lancers off the scoreboard in the first and fourth quarters. Their smothering defense against Pasadena City helped enable the team to record 21 steals, while sophomore goalie Ivanna Tostado (Troy HS) turned away eight shots in the win.

Sophomore Jackie Oliveros (Gahr HS) and freshman Lizbeth Gomez (Schurr HS) each scored twice, with Gomez also recording five steals, while sophomore Lindsay de Haas (Hacienda Heights Wilson HS) posted four steals. In addition to combining for eight goals, Sierra and Rabb also assisted on three goals each.

Photos by Daryl Peterson