General | 4/9/2026 12:00:00 PM

THE MATCHUP FACTS
The Game: (#3 W) Cal State Monterey Bay VS (#2 E) Gannon Golden Knights - WWPA Quarterfinals
When: Friday, April 10th - 2:00 pm
Where: Irvine, CA
Watch: https://team1sports.com/wwpa/?B=3910605
Live Stats: https://www.thefosh.net/live/19919

ERIE, PA -  Gannon women's water polo is set to open postseason play on Friday afternoon, traveling to Irvine, California for the WWPA Tournament. The Golden Knights will take on Cal State Monterey Bay, the No. 3 seed out of the West, in a 2:00 p.m. quarterfinal matchup. Gannon earned the No. 2 seed in the East via tiebreaker over McKendree and enters the postseason with a 9-10 overall record and a 1-3 mark in conference play.

Gannon has found their stride down the stretch portion of the season. Since their opening weekend in Villanova, PA, the Golden Knights found their rhythm offensively, posting five 20+ goal performances and finishing the regular season averaging over 13 goals per game as a team. GU is also 9-6 over their last 15 games and won four of their last six to close the season. Their ability to generate scoring from multiple spots in the pool has been a key factor in keeping them competitive heading into the postseason.

Looking at recent form, the Golden Knights showed signs of momentum late in the season. Gannon closed the regular season with wins over McKendree (16-12) and Mercyhurst (19-7), both wins instrumental in helping propel Gannon to the second seed out of the East.

The matchup against Cal State Monterey Bay presents a new challenge. The Otters finished the season with a 12-15 record and 5-3 mark in the WWPA western division. CSMB is led offensively by Olivia Guteirrez, who tallied 51 goals and 43 assists for 94 points, which was second in all of the WWPA this year. Emma Sosa is a 50 goal scorer for the Otters, who have four players with 50 points or more. 

GU is seeking its first quarterfinal win at the WWPA tournament since 2021, when the Golden Knights defeated McKendree, 9-8 in the quarterfinal round.. Last season, Gannon lost an incredibly tight 12-11 contest to Fresno Pacific. 

The postseason begins Friday at 2:00 p.m. in Irvine, with a chance for the Golden Knights to build on their late-season momentum and make a statement on the national stage

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Maria Martinez (Barcelona, Spain/Jesuïtes Gràcia Col·legi Kostka) - A freshman who has taken the WWPA by storm. Martinez totaled 60 goals (2nd in the WWPA) and 22 assists for a team-best 82 points while shooting an efficient .517 from the field. She finished the regular season third in the conference in scoring. Her ability to finish at a high rate while also creating opportunities for teammates makes her one of the most dangerous offensive players in the WWPA field.

Claudia Orte Blanch (Madrid, Spain/IES Profesor Maximo Trueba) -  Orte Blanch provided a strong secondary scoring option, tallying 30 goals and 14 assists for 44 points. She has consistently produced in key moments and adds versatility as both a scorer and facilitator.

Molly Fehr (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) - The senior has added 28 goals and 13 assists and has a shot percentage of .500.Her 41 points rank third on the team, and Fehr has also earned 13 steals throughout the course of the season.

Izabella Trunzo (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) - The Gannon netminder has logged over 580 minutes in net this season. Trunzo has recorded 244 saves while facing a high volume of shots, posting a .411 save percentage . Her ability to keep Gannon in games—particularly against high-powered offenses early in the year—has been critical, and her performance will be a major factor in postseason success. Trunzo has played all but 25 minutes in net for Gannon this year.

Other Players to Watch - Brigid Carmody (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) (21 goals, 16 assists), Carissa Jones (Allison Park, Pa./North Allegheny) (22 goals, 11 assists), and Emma O'Gorman (Johannesburg, South Africa/St Stithians College) (19 goals, 9 assists) have all played significant roles in the offensive rotation. O'Gorman, in particular, has been highly efficient, shooting over .600 on the season, while Carmody's and Jones' all-around production have added balance to the lineup . Kerstyn Farley (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona) has also been a key contributor, scoring 23 goals while converting at a team-best .622 shooting percentage among high-volume shooters.

We feel good going into the tournament, but we know this is the time of year where everyone's playing their best. For us, it's just about sticking to what we've been working on all season, playing hard, staying disciplined, and trusting each other in big moments. We want to put ourselves in a position to compete deep into the tournament and see how far we can take it.

Cal State Monterey Bay is a tough matchup. They're physical, they play with a lot of energy, and they don't make things easy. We're expecting a battle. Our focus is on doing the little things right, controlling what we can, and playing our game. If we play to our standard and stay composed in key moments, we like our chances to move forward.

FROM HEAD COACH ZARKO SADIKOVIC

"We feel good going into the tournament, but we know this is the time of year where everyone's playing their best. For us, it's just about sticking to what we've been working on all season, playing hard, staying disciplined, and trusting each other in big moments. We want to put ourselves in a position to compete deep into the tournament and see how far we can take it."

"Cal State Monterey Bay is a tough matchup. They're physical, they play with a lot of energy, and they don't make things easy. We're expecting a battle. Our focus is on doing the little things right, controlling what we can, and playing our game. If we play to our standard and stay composed in key moments, we like our chances to move forward."