Fullerton Wins State Title, Edges Riverside, 8-7, in Triple OT/Sudden Death

SACRAMENTO -- In the 2014 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Women's Water Polo Championships state championship game, the Fullerton College (FC) Hornets completed an undefeated season with an 8-7 triple overtime win (sudden death) over the the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers Saturday afternoon (Nov. 22) at American River College (ARC).

Fullerton (35-0 overall) won its first state crown in women's water polo after having finished as state runner-up in 2012. The Hornets were making only their second state championships appearance.

Since the inception of the CCCAA women's water polo championships in 1996, Fullerton became the eighth team to complete an undefeated season joining Rio Hondo (1996), Golden West (1998, 2012, 2013), Orange Coasts (2001), and Riverside (2007, 2010).

Riverside (27-6 overall), which was in the state title game for the fourth time in the last five seasons, made its twelfth state championships appearance. RCC sustained all six setbacks this season to Fullerton.

RCC has won the state crown four times (2005, 2007, 2010, 2011), has been runner-up five times (1999, 2001, 2006, 2013, 2014) and has finished in third place three times (2004, 2008, 2009).

It marked the second time that a (CCCAA, et al) women's water polo state championship game was decided in triple overtime. In 2004, Long Beach City College (31-1 overall) outlasted Golden West College (28-7 overall), 6-5, in sudden death triple overtime.

In the third-place game, the North No. 1-seeded Diablo Valley College (DVC) Vikings (26-1 overall) topped the North No. 2-seeded Foothill College Owls (18-9 overall), 11-6, Saturday.

In the championship game, Riverside led, 1-0, after the first quarter before the Hornets forged a 3-3 tie at halftime. RCC led, 4-3, after the third quarter, before FC rallied to tie the game at 6-6 at the end of regulation. After a scoreless first overtime period, each team scored once in the second extra session to send the game into sudden death overtime tied at 7-7.

The Tigers were led by sophomore center Alia McMorris (Riverside / M.L. King '13),  who had three goals and two assists, and sophomore Nikki Bell (Riverside / M.L. King '13), who had two goals. Sophomore defender Melissa Woody (Temecula / Temescal Canyon '13) and sophomore attacker Brandi Carroll (Murrieta / Vista Murrieta '10) each scored one goal while sophomore goalie Katia Montoya (Riverside / M.L. King '13) had eight saves.

Second-year RCC head women's water polo coach Doug Finfrock (UC Irvine '03), with a pair of state runner-up finishes to his credit, has compiled an overall record of 55-11 at RCC.

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http://www.cccaasports.org/sports/wwaterpolo/composite - Women

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