Fullerton Outlasts Riverside to be crowned the 2014 OEC Champions

Huntington Beach, Calif. - The Orange Empire Conference Championships closed today crowning the women of Fullerton College and the Men of Golden West the 2014-15 Champions.

The Riverside and Fullerton women's teams battled for the conference lead throughout the season, and so it is only fitting that the final game came down to these top two. The teams knotted the score at the end of the first and second quarters, and opened the third locked 5-5. There would be no clear leader until the last minute, with Fullerton taking possession and a one point lead on Riverside. The final whistle blew and Fullerton will take home the Championship in a 10-9 victory. The scoring was spread evenly for the Hornets with Tiffany Frechette, Gabriela Perez, Grace Schade, Angelica Hernandez and Gabbi Garcia each scoring two points. Riverside was in the game until the end, with Nikki Bell leading the Tigers with four goals of the teams nine goals. Congratulations to Fullerton's women's water polo team.

Golden West's men water polo teams have now been the unrivaled Orange Empire Conference Champions for over a quarter of a century. Today's win marks the 26th consecutive and 44th in the program's history. Orange Coast sank at the hands of the Rustlers 18-8 for the 2014-15 championship game. Golden West jumped on the offensive, scoring five goals in the first quarter, methodically pulling away from the Pirates. Eight Rustlers found the back of the net during the game, with Bendeguz Toth totaling six of his own.  Reed Cotterell contributed five, and teammates Josh Hueth, Gilbert Milanaes, Dalton Kenefick, Drake Dunn and Andrew Papilion each chipped in one.

Earlier in the day for the men, Saddleback took 5th place, defeating Santa Ana 11-7. Fullerton overtook Riverside 14-6 for 3rd place. For the women in the OEC, Cypress narrowly fell to Saddleback 9-6, giving the Gauchos 5th place. The Orange Coast Pirates took 3rd place with a 10-5 victory over Golden West.