SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Marist water polo team dropped a pair of games to top-ranked opponents on Sunday out on the west coast. The Red Foxes fell to #15 Santa Barbara by a 12-5 score before dropping a 10-5 decision to CSU - Bakersfield, who sits just outside the top-20, receiving votes in the national poll.

In the game versus Bakersfield, the Red Foxes (11-7) had the scored tied at three after the first quarter, but were outscored 5-0 over the next two quarters. Anna-Lena Hathaway (Pasadena, Calif.) led the way for Marist with two goals, two steals and two field blocks. Jessica Hamby (Sacramento, Calif.) had a goal and an assist and Ellie Hoffman (Pasadena, Calif.) scored a goal and made three saves. Rebecca Thomas (Cape Town, South Africa) made seven saves in the Marist net.

Earlier in the day, Marist trailed just 2-1 after the first quarter, but gave up four goals in both the second and third quarters, before falling to Santa Barbara. Robyn Crabtree (Cutler Bay, Fla.) and Hathaway each scored two goals for the Red Foxes, while Hathaway also added three assists, factoring in all five Marist goals, and an astonishing eight steals on the defensive end. Thomas made four saves in goal.

The Red Foxes take Monday off before playing two more games out west on Tuesday. They will play CSU-Northridge at 5 p.m. before taking on Concordia at 7:45 p.m.

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-GoRedFoxes.com-