Santa Barbara, Calif. - The Pomona-Pitzer Women's Water Polo team opened its 2013 season with two losses to Division I teams ranked in the NCAA Top 20, falling 19-7 to No.17 Cal State Northridge and 15-7 to No. 15 UC Santa Barbara, at the UC Santa Barbara Winter Invite on Sunday.

The Sagehens, who are ranked No. 1 in Division III heading into the new year, start the season out 0-2 as they try to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row and fifth time in the last eight years.

Sophomore Alyssa Woodward (Riverside, Calif. - pictured) was the bright spot for the Sagehens with seven of the team's 14 goals. Woodward had four goals in the loss to Northridge, then came back with three more in the UC Santa Barbara match.

Sophomore Sarah Westcott (Menlo Park, Calif.) also had a strong performance, tallying four goals against UC Santa Barbara and one against Northridge. Freshman Katy Schafer (Los Altos, Calif.) added two goals against Northridge.

The Sagehens put UC Santa Barbara under some pressure in the second match, but Gaucho goalie Mackenzie Brokaw was up the challenge with 14 saves.

Pomona-Pitzer will be back in action in two weeks when it participates in the La Verne Invitational.