IRVINE, Calif. --- UCI women's water polo fought through a rough test in the Big West semifinal Saturday afternoon at Anteater Aquatics Complex defeating San Diego State, 7-5, to advance to the final.

UCI (21-8, 6-1) built its two-goal lead in the first half mostly thanks to defense. Jillian Yocum stopped eight of her 13 shots in the first half as UCI held the early 4-2 lead.

SDSU (22-10, 5-2) clawed back into the match as Amber Pezzolla drilled her second goal of the match on a penalty shot to make it 6-5.

Michaela Pierandozzi would fight hard from the center forward position to drain UCI's seventh goal with 53 seconds to go and put the Aztecs out of reach. Pierandozzi would finish with a pair of goals along with four steals, two earned exclusions, and a field block. Hannah Croghan had a critical field block along with two assists and two steals.

Yocum also came up big with four late saves in the final quarter to secure the victory.

UCI will match up with the top-seeded Rainbow Wahine of Hawai'I Sunday afternoon for a 4:15 match to determine the automatic bid from the Big West Conference.

(2) UC IRVINE 7, (3) SAN DIEGO STATE 5

	1	2	3	4	F
SDSU	1	1	1	2	5
UCI	2	2	1	2	7

UCI goals: Michaela Pierandozzi (2), McKenna Mitchell (2), Ambyr Stewart, Hannah Croghan, Kelsey Klatt

SDSU goals: Amber Pezzolla (2), Emily Whalen, Alex Ford, Taelor Moreno

Saves: SDSU: Rachel Mitchell (9); UCI: Jillian Yocum (13)

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