Edith Noriega | Sports Editor

Dec. 1, 2014

The Riverside City College women’s water polo team began their final stretch in the two-day semifinals and state championships game from Nov. 21-22.

The Tigers reached the state championship for the fourth time in the last five seasons beating Diablo Valley College 12-8 in the semifinals on Nov. 21.

Doug explained that the game plan against Diablo Valley was very simple; it was just to do what they had been doing all yearlong.

RCC went down 2-0 to start the game but stayed the course and eventually the jitters went away and started to play well and outscored Diablo Valley 5-2 in the third quarter.

“We know we will have our hands full with Fullerton, but we believe that with a strong team effort we can win,” said head coach Doug Finfrock.

Through triumph and tribulation the Tigers were defeated 8-7 in triple overtime against the Fullerton College Hornets in the 2014 state championship game.

Riverside led 1-0, after the first quarter but the Hornets returned with a vengeance tying it 3-3 at halftime.

The Tigers never stop roaring and finished in a 6-6 tie at the end of regulation.

“I am very proud of the girls for their performance and for reaching the championship game, however our goal all year was to win it,” Doug Finfrock said.

After a scoreless first overtime period, each team scored once in the second extra session to send the game into sudden death.

This marked the second time that a women’s water polo state championship game was decided in triple overtime.

RCC were led by Alia McMorris, who had three goals and two assist, defender Melissa Woody and attacker Brandi Carroll each scored one goal while goalie Katia Montoya had eight saves.

This was the fourth time Riverside (26-6 overall) was in the state title in the last five seasons, and also made their twelfth state championship appearance but sustained all six setbacks this season to Fullerton.