Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team completed the Claremont Convergence Saturday afternoon with a split achieving a win in OT over La Verne and narrowly missing a victory over Pomona-Pitzer.
Whittier finishes the tournament 2-2, moving their record on the season to 6-9.
Game 1 (La Verne – W, 6-5 in OT)
This is the second game this season the Poets have had an opportunity to play a SCIAC foe before the SCIAC season begins and they made the most out of it achieving a 6-5 victory in OT over the Leopards of the University of La Verne on Day 2 of the Claremont Convergence.
In the first quarter the Poets offense was shut down despite a late goal from Melanie Peel that put the Poets on the scoreboard. La Verne continued to shut out the Purple & Gold throughout the second quarter as well as they held Whittier to one goal heading into the half.
Coming out of the break, Whittier found the spark on offense as they tallied two goals in the third to pull within one as Katrina Thoreson and Jae Crabtree connected on their first goals of the game. But they didn't stop there as Thoreson again found the back of the goal late in the fourth to force OT.
In the first OT both the Leopards and Poets connected on goals with Crabtree connecting on her second goal of the game to force a second OT. In the second, Whittier's defense stepped up and made it difficult for La Verne to get any good looks on goal, while Thoreson scored the game winner totaling three goals on the day.
Game 2 (Pomona-Pitzer – L, 7-4)
Coming out in the second contest Whittier again found themselves up against a SCIAC opponent in the Sagehens of Pomona Pitzer but was unable to capitalize off turnovers and stops late in the game to pull off the victory.
Thoreson continued where she left off after the game against La Verne as she tallied the first goal of the contest early in the first quarter to put the Poets ahead 1-0. In the second Melissa Reynoso found the back of the goal on her first goal of the day getting the Poets their second goal of the game heading into the break.
Coming out in the third, Whittier's offense continued to be shut down by La Verne as Samantha Pudwill tallied her first goal of the day, and heading into the final frame the Poets remained in a deficit that was difficult to overcome. Despite the deficit Whittier's Thoreson tallied yet another goal but it was too late as the Sagehens held on for the three goal victory.
Whittier returns to the pool tomorrow, Sunday, March 11 as they host MaCalester at the Lillian Slade Aquatic Center beginning at 2pm.
