SEASIDE, Calif. — The Santa Clara University women's water polo team got multiple goals from five different players Saturday and ran away from host Cal State Monterey Bay in the third period, winning its 2025 season opener in dominant fashion, 18-8, at the CSUMB Aquatic Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Megan Chambliss scored a game-high five goals and Francesca Moynihan scored four to lead the Broncos (1-0). Sydney Maccabe, Kate Rodman and Libby Slater scored two goals each. Maccabe also tied teammate Annika Burks with a game-high three assists. Allyson Ainsworth was the lone multi-goal scorer for the Otters (1-4) with two.
   
• Santa Clara quickly established its rhythm in the first period, scoring three goals, including two from Chambliss and one from Moynihan. The Otters stayed close with goals from Ainsworth and Autumn Day, ending the frame with a 3-2 lead for Santa Clara.
   
• The second period saw the Santa Clara attack intensify, scoring four goals while limiting Cal State Monterey Bay to only one. Key contributions came from Libby Slater and Kate Rodman, enhancing the Broncos' lead to 7-3 by halftime.
   
• The SCU offense stampeded out of the gate in the second half, scoring six goals in the third quarter alone and pushing the lead to as big as 13-4 at one point. before ending the period with a 13-6 lead. Santa Clara outscored the Otters, 6-1, to start the third stanza, with goals from Burks, Makenna Genco, Maccabe, Rodman, and two from Chambliss. The Otters put up three goals in the period, including the final two to make it 13-6 heading to the fourth.
   
• Santa Clara continued its scoring spree in the final period with five additional goals, as Moynihan netted two more. The Santa Clara defense also showed out in the first game of the year, logging six total field blocks and seven steals. Haley Tassell made six saves in net for the Broncos.

COMING UP

• Santa Clara's season continues with two more road games next weekend. The Broncos travel to the Central Valley Saturday to take on Fresno Pacific, then come back to the South Bay on Feb. 2 to face rival San Jose State.