No. 7 Bears Rout No. 11 Fresno State To Open Season

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FRESNO – The No. 7 Cal women's water polo team got seven goals from freshmen and held No. 11 Fresno State scoreless for over 11 minutes in a 16-7 rout over the Bulldogs in the 2021 season-opener on Saturday night at the Fresno State Aquatics Center.

Freshman Maryn Dempsey registered a hat trick in her first collegiate game and Mallory Reynoso, Reagan Whitney, Megan Musick and Maddie DeMattia also each scored as the Bears notched their biggest victory in a season-opener since 2017.

Senior goalie Cassidy Ball made four saves to move into ninth place on Cal's all-time list with 194 in her career. Sophomore Isabel Williams started in the cage for the Bears and made five saves. Ball took over to begin the third quarter.

Dempsey became the first Cal freshman to record a hat trick in her first career game since Dora Antal also scored three goals in the Bears' season-opener in 2014.

Senior Georgia Gilmore and sophomore Shea Salvino each scored twice for the Bears.

After the Bulldogs tied the game at 4-4 with 6:58 remaining in the second quarter, Cal proceeded to reel off seven unanswered goals to take command. Fresno State finally broke the scoring drought at the 3:26 mark of the third quarter.

The Bears return to Fresno next Saturday to take on the Bulldogs again at 2 p.m.