WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team earned a split Monday afternoon falling to Harvard 15-4 but cruising to the 14-2 win over the Virginia Military Institute.
Whittier now improves to 8-10 with all SCIAC competition still remaining and will continue their home stand as they take on George Washington, tomorrow, Thursday, March 15 beginning at 6pm.
Game 1 (Harvard – L, 15-4)
The Poets remained close throughout the first half with Div. I Harvard thanks to a strong defensive stand that only allowed five goals. But Harvard's defense was just as strong only allowing two goals in the first half from Samantha Pudwill who tied the game up at 1-1 in the first quarter with 1:48 to go and then Sara Mullins who added a goal late in the second with :19 seconds to help Whittier cut the Harvard lead to three going into the break.
Coming out of the break, Harvard began playing more aggressively and tallied 10 goals in the second half, which included four in the third and six in the fourth. Whittier did however add goals in the third and fourth frames from Mullins but the offensive attack from the Crimson was too much for the Poets down the stretch as they went on to claim the victory.
Game 2 (Virginia Military Institute – W, 14-2)
In the second game, the Poets used an offensive attack from eleven different players that put the game out of reach early.
In the first quarter the Poets scored five unanswered from Melanie Peel, Sabrina Carlile, Katrina Thoreson, Jae Crabtree, and Mullins, while holding their opponent scoreless over eight minutes.
Defense stepped up in the second stanza as both programs combined for two goals, and Hayley Parker helped the Poets take a 6-1 lead into the half.
Coming out of the half, Whittier added two quick goals from Emma Sakuda and Alexandria Talley and then scored three unanswered late to close out the half from Sakuda, Talley, and Mattie Winkler. This moved the score to 11-2 but the Purple & Gold didn't stop there as they added another three goals in the fourth to put the game out of reach behind goals from Sakuda, Melissa Pinlac, and Fabiola Sahagun.
