Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team ended their day with a split falling in the first game against the University of La Verne in the final minute 9-8 but coming back in the afternoon to win big over Vanguard 10-2.
Whittier now improves to 10-13 but still seek their first SCIAC victory and hope to achieve it when they host the Beavers of the California Institute of Technology on Wednesday, April 11 beginning at 5pm followed by a nightcap against Concordia beginning at 7pm.
Game 1(La Verne – L, 9-8)
The previous time Whittier and La Verne matched up the Poets were on the winning end of a 6-5 overtime thriller back on March 10 but this time around the Leopards were the victors as they fought their way back from being down 3-1 after the first quarter to pull off the one goal victory.
Whittier jumped out in front 3-0 in the first quarter with three unanswered at the 5:27, 3:05 and 1:55 marks thanks to two goals from Katrina Thoreson and a goal from Melissa Reynoso. But late in the quarter the Leopards added their first goal of the contest with 17 seconds to go to cut the Poet lead to two.
Then in the second La Verne added a quick goal to pull within one but saw Whittier again add a goal from Thoreson that put the Poets back up by two at 4-2. But La Verne wouldn't go away and added three unanswered that gave them their first lead of the contest at 5-4. The Purple & Gold responded though and tied the game up at 5-5 behind Thoreson's second goal of the frame but saw La Verne take a 6-5 lead into the half as they capitalized off a Whittier exclusion with 35 seconds remaining.
Coming out of the break Whittier's Arianna Weisenburger added the game tying goal at the 5:52 mark followed by a Sabrina Carlile goal that put Whittier in front 7-6, but it was soon short lived as La Verne added back to back goals that put them back in front 8-7 heading into the final quarter.
Four minutes into the fourth Whittier found the back of the goal to tie the game up at 8-8 behind a Weisenburger goal but after an exclusion on Katie Vazquez the Leopards added the eventual game winner and with time running out the Poets were unable to get a shot off as La Verne held on for the one goal victory.
Game 2 (Concordia – W, 10-2)
In the second game of the doubleheader Whittier used eight different scorers to cruise to the 10-2 victory led by Fabiola Sahagun and Bobbi Mendoza who each finished with goals apiece.
Whittier who has hit the 10 goal plateau for the tenth time this season used a five spot in the first quarter and a second half shut out to win their tenth game of the season.
The Poets scored three unanswered behind a Thoreson goal, and goals from Reynoso and Hayley Parker until they saw Concordia add their first goal of the game at the 4:31 mark to cut the Poet lead to two. But Whittier extended their lead once again and added two late goals from Melissa Pinlac and Alexandria Talley that moved the score to 5-1 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second the game turned into a defensive standoff as Concordia held the Poets scoreless, while adding a goal at the 6:39 mark to pull them within three at the half.
Coming out of the break it was Whittier's turn to show off their defensive prowess and they did so by holding Concordia scoreless in the third and fourth frames while adding five goals themselves including three in the third and two in the fourth to secure the victory. With Whittier jumping out in front early Head Coach Justin Pudwill was able to play a lot of his bench getting goals in the third from Terrileigh Shepherd, and Sahagun before Mendoza finished the game off with two goals in the final quarter.
