No. 1 Vikings Dominate No. 4 Merced in State Championship Opener
The top-ranked Vikings women's water polo team defeated No. 4 Merced College 13-3 on Thursday morning.
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Merced
(15-13, 6-1)
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
|
Long Beach
(36-2, 7-0)
|
4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 |
Team Stats
Merced
The top-ranked Vikings women's water polo team made a commanding statement on Day 1 of the 3C2A State Championship, defeating No. 4 Merced College 13-3 Thursday morning.
Sophomore standout Olivia Slavens led the charge with an impressive five goals and four steals, setting the tone on both ends of the pool. Teammate Lola Annear also delivered a stellar performance, contributing four goals, a steal, and a key field block.
In the cage, Avery Reyes and Coryn Cavecche shared goalkeeping duties, combining for nine saves while holding the Blue Devils to just three goals. Their strong defensive effort anchored the Vikings' dominant showing.
"Medals are earned in training, but tournaments are where you pick them up," Annear said after the game. "I think we proved that today, but we've got two more games to show it again."
The Vikings now shift their focus to the semifinals, where they'll face No. 3 Riverside City College on Friday, Nov. 22, at 10:30 a.m. at KLAC.