FRESNO, Calif. – For the second consecutive season, LMU women's water polo have won the Golden Coast Conference regular season and conference tournament titles. The Lions erased a halftime deficit to take the title from Fresno State and earn the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. #8 LMU outscored the #12 Bulldogs, 6-2, in the second half to win the title, 8-6.
 
Fresno State scored the game's first two goals before Cila David put LMU on the board with 2:01 to play on the first quarter clock. The home team added a third goal with 19 seconds left to take a 3-1 lead.
 
The Bulldogs took their largest lead of the game with a penalty shot midway through the second quarter. Emison Styris cut the deficit to 4-2 with a powerplay goal with 2:22 to play in the half.
 
Brooke Tora Gil and Anna Tarantino scored the first two goals of the second half to tie the score at 4-all with just over a minute and a half to play in the period. Fresno State briefly retook their lead before CIanne Benjamin tied the score back up at 5-5 on LMU's ensuing possession.
 
Two-seed FSU opened the fourth quarter scoring before Styris tied the game back up just 22 seconds later. Tarantino scored the game-winning goal with 3:26 on the clock with a converted penalty shot goal. David added an insurance goal to push the Lions up two with 2:25 to play and secure the victory.
 
Madison Searle made double-digit saves for the second-straight game. The freshman goalkeeper recorded 11 saves with a .647 save percentage to earn the win.
 
Head Coach Ikaika Aki has now won the last two GCC Tournament and Regular Season titles and will return to the NCAA Tournament for the second time since taking over the program four years ago.
 
The NCAA Selection Show will stream on NCAA.com at 5:00 PM on Monday afternoon. This year's NCAA Tournament will be played in San Diego from April 22-26. NCAA Tournament information can be found here.
 
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