Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team extended their winning streak to four games Saturday as they swept the competition during the Whittier Mini Tournament beating Occidental College 9-6, Azusa Pacific 12-10, and La Verne 10-7.
With the clean sweep the Poets improve to 4-1 on the season with the Lancer Invite occurring this coming weekend, February 15-16 against Redlands and Cal Baptist.
Game 1 (Occidental – W, 9-6)
In the first match-up of the season against a SCIAC opponent the Poets got the best of the Tigers from Occidental. Whittier held a 2-0 advantage after the first quarter with goals from Cynthia Castillo (Los Angeles, Calif.) and freshman Jenel Rivera (Whittier, Calif.). The Tigers did however tie the game up and take a one goal lead midway through the second however scoring three unanswered. But that would be the last time they led as the Purple & Gold would tie the game back up 30 seconds later from Rivera before adding a go ahead goal from Laurel Pinkley (Humble, TX) with thirty nine seconds to play in the half.
Out of the half, Oxy would tie the game up at five before Whittier once more would go ahead in the final minute of play thanks to Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, Calif.). In the final quarter, the Tigers would once more knot the game up but Whittier would add the final three goals of the frame from Rivera (2), and Jasmine Villalpando (Los Angeles, Calif.) en route to the three goal victory.
Game 2 (Azusa Pacific – W, 12-10)
In the second game of the Tournament the Poets found themselves matched up against Div. II Azusa Pacific. APU held an early 3-1 lead after the first quarter before Rivera got her offense going, adding the first goal in the second to pull the Poets within one prior to Isabella Gorrocino (Monterey Park, Calif.) tying the game up at three.
APU would once again go back in front by two a few minutes later before Whittier would respond with two of their own both coming from Jae Crabtree (San Diego, Calif.) that tied the game up five.
Then with under two minutes to play in the first half Whittier was caught with an exclusion, which APU capitalized on helping them take a one goal lead into the break.
Out of the half Azusa extended their lead to three 8-5 with two straight but Whittier once again responded with four unanswered to close out the quarter from Rivera (2), and Pinkley (2) helping the Poets take a 9-8 lead into the final frame.
Opening up the fourth, APU got a quick goal to tie the game up at nine but Whittier put together one final run with three goals coming from Villalpando, Rivera, and Melanie Peel (Whittier, Calif.) that extended the lead to 12-9. In one final push APU would receive their 10th goal with 45 seconds to play but it wouldn't be enough as Whittier would hold on for the two victory.
Game 3 (La Verne – W, 10-7)
In the nightcap of the tournament the Poets took on La Verne their second SCIAC opponent on the day. They jumped out quickly to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter of play and then extended it to 7-1 midway through the second before the Whittier bench was unloaded. La Verne managed to add a late goal in the second to trail by just six at the break. In the third only three goals were scored with two coming from ULV before they would add another three goals in the final quarter to make the final tally a respectable 10-7.
Whittier saw Sabrina Carlile (Dallas, TX) and Hannah Ellett (Merced, Calif.) add two goals apiece, while Melissa Pinlac (Granada Hills, Calif.), Peel, Castillo, Hayley Parker (Redwood City, Calif.), Natalie Halvorsen-Herrera (Carmichael, Calif.), and Pinkley each add goals in the victory.
