SAN DIEGO — The 2023 season came to an end Saturday for the Santa Clara University women's water polo team, as the Broncos suffered a 12-7 setback against eight-seed California Baptist in the seventh-place game of the Golden Coast Conference Championship Tournament at San Diego State's Aztec Aquaplex.
Freshman Sydney Maccabe provided plenty of excitement and anticipation for the seasons to come, as the rookie finished the tournament as the Broncos' top scorer with four goals Saturday. She scored two in Friday's opening-round game against No. 17 ranked and second-seeded LMU to total six goals for the weekend.
Chloe Morrison added two goals and a drawn exclusion, and Elle Fredrickson chipped in a goal. Halley Seed collected two assists, while Libby Slater, Francesca Moynihan and Alyssa Jacobsen each tallied one. Liyara Senadheera made three saves in net for Santa Clara (10-21).
The game was close through the first period, with the Lancers (15-19) holding a slight, 4-3, edge through the game's opening eight minutes. CBU pulled away in the second with six goals while holding the Broncos to only one, taking a 10-4 lead into halftime. They added two more in the third while holding SCU scoreless to expand that lead to 12-4.
Like Friday's tournament-opening game versus LMU, the Broncos scored multiple unanswered goals in the fourth period to try and mount a comeback. Maccabe scored two of her four goals in the fourth – like she did on Friday – and Morrison also scored in the fourth.
Santa Clara's 10 wins in 2023 are the program's most in five years, since winning 12 in 2018. The program will return a bulk of their offense, including 2023 all-GCC second team honoree Kate Rodman. Starting goalie Senadheera is also set to return for her senior season next spring.
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