Playing a pair of games at the Golden West Mini-Tournament on Friday, the Cerritos College women's water polo team dropped both of their games. The Falcons (5-5) opened with a tough 14-11 double overtime loss to Saddleback College and were then defeated, 12-5 by Los Angeles Valley College. The team will travel to Rio Hondo College for a 4:30 p.m. South Coast Conference match next Wednesday.

Against the Bobcats, Cerritos fought back from a 4-1 deficit and tied the match at 6-6 by halftime. The team scored the final two goals of the first half to knot the score, thanks to tallies from Isabella Ochoa (California HS) and Danielle Martin (El Rancho HS).

The second half started well for Cerritos, who got consecutive goals from Monserrat Rodriguez (Western HS) before Saddleback tied the score. In the final minute of the third period, Jasmine Escorcia (Western HS) gave the Falcons a one-goal lead heading into the fourth period. Although the Bobcats regained the lead in the first 90 seconds of the fourth period, goals from Escorcia and Rodriguez put Cerritos back in front, 11-10 with 2:52 remaining. Saddleback was able to send the game to overtime on a goal with 37 seconds left in regulation.

It was a very physical match, with four Cerritos players fouling out. They were unable to overcome that player deficit and surrendered three goals in overtime, although a Falcon goal was overturned in extra time due to a player entering illegally.

Escorcia, Rocriguez and Ochoa accounted for nine of the team's goals, with goalkeeper Jayden Starr-Smith (Buena Park HS) turning away 14 shots.

Against the Monarchs, the Falcons were unable to get things going early on and fell behind, 6-1 after the first period. They got as close as 7-4 in the second period after goals from Escorcia, Rodriguez and Camila Oliveira (Cerritos HS), but were limited to just one goal in the second half.