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Box Score vs. Pacific | GCC Tournament Central

LOS ANGLELES - In a matchup of the Golden Coast Conference's top two programs, #7 Pacific topped #15 Loyola Marymount to take the GCC Women's Water Polo Tournament crown. The Tigers (18-7, 7-0 GCC) earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with the 10-6 win over LMU (18-15, 6-1 GCC) on Sunday.

Hana Vilanova put the Lions on top early, scoring less than a minute into the game off the assist from Abbey Grosse.

Pacific then answered with three consecutive goals after the first period to take the 3-1 lead into the quarter break. The Lions responded with a powerplay goal from Katie Hungerford on LMU's ensuing possession to cut their deficit to 4-2, before the Tigers added one at the 6:24 mark of the second. The 5-2 score stuck as neither team scored in the final six-plus minutes of the first half.

Coming out of intermission, Daniela Hernandez found Kiana Harpstrite for the senior connection and goal to make it a 5-3 game at the 6 minute mark of the third. After Pacific added one more, Vilanova converted a 5-meter goal to make it a two-goal game once again, with the Lions trailing 6-4 with 3:54 to play in the third. UOP added to their lead with another goal in the third quarter, making it a 7-4 game heading into the final period of the tournament.

Hernandez scored to open the fourth quarter, before Pacific rattled off two straight. LMU added one more from Grosse with 4:49 to play, before Pacific finished the scoring with a goal at the 4:11 mark to secure the 10-6 win and tournament championship.

Claire Wright made seven saves and added one steal as LMU's goalkeeper.

At the conclusion of the tournament, both Hana Vilanova and Claire Wright were named to the GCC Tournament's All-Tournament Team. VIlanova led the Lions with nine points over the tournament with five goals and four assists. She also shared the team-high with four steals. Wright played every minute in goal for the Lions over the weekend. She recorded 12 saves in each of her first two games of the tournament and added seven more on Sunday.

The complete All-Tournament team and full stats can be found on the GCC Tournament Central page at the link above.

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