BERKELEY – If the No. 8 Cal women's water polo team needed any assistance recovering from its heartbreaking loss to No. 2 UCLA on Friday, it came in the form of an eye-opening upset pulled off by Sunday's opponent.

No. 21 Long Beach State registered an impressive road victory over No. 5 UC Davis on Saturday, putting the Bears on notice that Sunday's match would present its own unique challenges. Cal, displaying its familiar brand of smothering defense while getting another strong offensive performance from sophomore Carla Carrega, responded.

The Bears held an opponent to five goals or less for the 16^th time this season, and Carrega scored four goals of her own as Cal cruised past the 49ers 11-5 in a nonconference matchup at Spieker Aquatics Complex.

“We told the team this morning (about Long Beach State's win over UC Davis) and there were like, 'Whoa',” Cal head coach Richard Corso said. “They were shocked. And it's not like Davis flew to Long Beach. Long Beach beat them at Davis. That's a big deal.”

UC Davis defeated the Bears at its own tournament back on March 5, but Cal turned around and won three in a row before playing at a very high level but succumbing to the Bruins on Friday. Sunday's game was tied at 2-2 at the end of the first quarter, but the Bears then held the 49ers scoreless in the second quarter and took a 5-2 lead at halftime.

“Coming into today, we knew it probably wouldn't have the same kind of intensity as Friday initially,” Corso said. “But once it got going, it did. We were in charge of our own destiny today.”

The Bears may have also had an extra dose of inspiration after watching teammate Roser Tarrago qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics with her native Spain on Saturday. Tarrago, who is redshirting the season to train with the Spanish National Team, helped her country defeat The Netherlands 10-7 in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympic Qualification Tournament. That put Spain in the top four of the tourney and gave it a berth in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August.

The Bears gathered in their team room Saturday to watch the game together and cheer on their teammate. Tarrago joined fellow teammates Dora Antal and Anna Illes as Olympic qualfiers. Antal and Illes earned berths when Hungary won the European Championships in January.

Junior Emily Loughlin and sophomore Kindred Paul added two goals apiece for the Bears, who extended their advantage to 8-3 late in the third quarter.

The Bears return to MPSF play Saturday when they visit No. 6 Arizona State at Noon.

 

No. 8 Cal 11, No. 21 Long Beach State 5

LBSU 2 0 2 1 – 5

Cal 2 3 4 2 – 11

LBSU Goals: Emily Garczynski 3, Alexandria Massier, Jessica Brooks.

Cal Goals: Carla Carrega 4, Emily Loughlin 2, Kindred Paul 2, Stephanie Mutafyan, Brooke Vowell, Pippa Saunders.

LBSU Saves: Alexis Butler 7.

Cal Saves: Madeline Trabucco 3.