April 15, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
No. 22 California Baptist-No. 14 San Diego State Final Box 
No. 14 San Diego State captured at least a share of the Golden Coast regular-season title with its 7-5 home victory over 22nd-ranked California Baptist on Friday afternoon at Aztec Aquaplex. The victory evens SDSU's record at 14-14 and ups its conference record to 6-0. CBU falls to 20-9 overall and 4-2 in the GCC.
With the win, the Aztecs also clinch the No. 1 seed at the GCC Championship, which will be held at Aztec Aquaplex from April 29-May 1. It is also the third straight season in which San Diego State will be the top-seeded team in the field.
SDSU looked poised to run away with the decision based on its first-half effort. Makena Magro, Ioli Benekou and Taylor Gums each scored consecutive goals over the first seven-plus minutes before the Aztecs gave up a power-play goal to CBU's Laura Kocsis with 42 seconds left in the frame.
San Diego State duplicated its first-quarter performance in the second by outscoring the Lancers, 3-1, to take a 6-2 lead into halftime. California Baptist's Hannah Evans made it a 3-2 game 55 seconds into the second period, but SDSU answered with a pair of Tayla Walsh goals and Taylor Gums added the Aztecs' sixth goal of the afternoon with 1:12 left before intermission.
The tables turned on San Diego State in the second half as its offense stalled. The Aztecs were shutout in the third quarter, while the Lancers generated just enough offense to make it a 6-4 game thanks to goals from Kocsis and Evans.
In the final period, CBU's Courtney Menard scored on a 6-on-5 opportunity and all of a sudden San Diego State found itself up, 6-5, with 4:25 left in the game. SDSU's defense continued to be stingy despite allowing the Lancers back into the game. The unit held up long enough for Magro to score on a power play on a beautifully designed set to give the home side a two-goal cushion. Then on the next possession, Magro made a steal, which ultimately help secure the Aztecs' third straight GCC regular-season championship.
Rachel Mitchell, who was named Golden Coast Player of the Week on Wednesday, made 11 saves, as did CBU's Meghan Rowland.
As an athletics department, the GCC regular-season conference title is San Diego State's 31st since the start of the 2012-13 academic year.
The Aztecs will look record their third consecutive undefeated GCC season and win the regular-season title outright on Saturday when No. 19 LMU visits Aztec Aquaplex at 1 p.m. PT. Admission is free.
No. 14 San Diego State 7, No. 22 California Baptist 5
Aztec Aquaplex; San Diego, Calif.
CBU 1-1-2-1-5
SDSU 3-3-0-1-7
CBU goals: Evans 2, Kocsis 2, Menard
SDSU goals: Gums 2, Magro 2, Walsh 2, Benekou
CBU saves: Rowland 11
SDSU saves: Mitchell 11