CBU's Season Comes to an End in Fifth Place Match of the GCC Tournament

LOS ANGELES, CA--- The 2025 season for the California Baptist University women's water polo team ended on Saturday afternoon in the 5th Place Match of the Gold Coast Conference Tournament at the hands of the Azusa Pacific Cougars.

The Lancers faced a sizable deficit in the early going but came all the way back to get within one but could not complete the comeback and would fall 15-14 to place sixth in the conference tournament for the second consecutive season.

CBU faced a first-period barrage from the APU Cougars as the sixth-seed would put six goals on the board in the first eight minutes versus just one from the Lancers from Delilah Moreno on a powerplay. The early deficit continued to grow in the inaugural minutes of the second frame, with the Cougars leading by as many as six. CBU gained a little bit of momentum in the second period with some late goals from Celeste Almendariz and Devyn Ruffer, but APU would tally the final score for the half as the buzzer sounded to hold an 11-7 halftime advantage.

The third period saw the Lancers inch a tad closer, outscoring the Cougars three to two in the frame and notching their final goal as the buzzer sounded to get within three goals. CBU began a furious comeback in the fourth period, ending the match on a 6-1 run, but in the end, the damage from the first half was too severe to overcome, and the Cougars would hold on to the 15-14 victory.

Almendariz finished her incredible career with another hat trick, leading the Lancers in goals for the game with three on four shots taken. Almendariz finishes her season with career highs in goals scored, exclusions drawn, assists, and field blocks. Almedariz set the program record for most exclusions drawn in a career with nearly 200 and set the single-season best mark with 100 in her senior season. Ruffer, Kyra Kahahawai, and Niya Bumbaca all tallied multiple goals in the defeat, while Emaly Hutton led the team in points with four.