CHAMPIONSHIP LINKS: Tournament Central • Bracket • 2019 Results • 2019 Standings • 2019 Stats • 2019 Awards 

FRESNO, Calif. -- Eighth-ranked Pacific jumped out to a 5-1 early lead and used that momentum to earn a 13-9 win over 12th-ranked LMU in the title game of the 2019 Golden Coast Conference Women's Championship Sunday afternoon at Fresno State University, The Tigers claim their third straight GCC tournament title and with it the conference's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Women's Water Polo Championship in two weeks.

GAME 12 LINKS: BOX SCORE • PHOTO GALLERY

Two-time GCC Player of the Year Kyra Christmas scored five goals to claim MVP honors for the tournament as the Tigers (17-8) ran their unbeaten streak against GCC opponents to 21 games. LMU (21-10) was led by Marialena Seletopoulou and Hana Vilanova with four goals each.

The Tigers set the pace early, scoring four straight goals to open up a 1-1 game. Truly Dorland scored two of her three goals in the opening run as her goal with 7:34 to play in the second quarter gave Pacific a 5-1 lead.

LMU found some footing and scored back-to-back goals from their two top scorers to cut the lead to 6-3 with 4:12 on the clock. The Tigers, however, would score four more goals in the second quarter for a 9-5 lead at the break.

Vilanova would score the first two goals of the second half to cut the lead to 9-7 with 3:01 on the clock in the third. The Tigers' defense stiffened from there, keeping LMU from scoring again for nearly six minutes. Goalie Clara Vulpisi had 13 saves and five steals to keep LMU at arms length.

While the defense held, Dorland and Brinnley Barthels made it 11-7 and the Lions would get no closer than the two goal deficit the rest of the game.

It was the fourth championship game for both squads in the six year history of the league. Pacific improves to 3-1 while LMU drops to 2-2 in the title game.