In the Throwback Thursday Championship Edition Series, the Vikings are revisiting different championships throughout Long Beach City College history. In this sixth installment, the Vikings go back to 2003 for the championship from the women's water polo team featuring 2018 Hall of Champions Inductee Melissa Soria.

LBCC defeats Golden West 14-7 for 2003 State Championship
Written by Chris Ruiz

The Long Beach City College women's water polo team beat Golden West College 14-7 to win the 2003 California Community College Commission on Athletics Water Polo Championship.

Head Coach Chris Oeding was named State Coach of the Year, while sophomore Viviana Morales scored seven goals over the weekend to earn State Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.

 Both Oeding and Long Beach earned their first women's water polo state championship. The win capped an impressive season that saw the Vikings compile a 30-1 overall record.

"All season we knew we had the best team in the state," said Oeding. "This was one of our best games all season and it was nice to have a game like this in the championship final. My team came out to play and we controlled the game from start to finish."

Saturday's championship final win over Golden West was the fifth time in six games the Vikings defeated their rival in 2003. It also avenged last season's 7-6 loss to the Rustlers in the 2002 state championship game.

Long Beach's Melissa Soria, Jenny Rueda, Brianne Barth, and Jackie Prine all scored three goals each in the final, with Morales adding two goals in her final game as a Viking.

Rueda (5 total goals), Soria (4 goals) and Prine (3 goals) were also named to the All-State Tournament team.

Golden West actually outshot LBCC by a 30-24 margin, but goalies Jamie Wendell (4 saves) and Kim Hayes (7 saves) were both up for the challenge.

"It was a great season," Oeding said. "Our sophomores didn't want a repeat of last year, so I think that really motivated them today and all season."