Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team earned a split during the Zumo Invite at Loyola Marymount this weekend beating Sonoma State 7-6 and Cal State San Bernardino 15-5 to improve to 15-12, 1-0 SCIAC.
The Zumo Invite is the last tournament of the regular season for the Purple & Gold with one final non-conference opponent left on the schedule in Brown University set to take place on Thursday, March 27 at 4:00pm.
Whittier wrapped up the tournament 2-2 with wins over Sonoma State and Cal State San Bernardino while dropping tough match-ups to Brown and Hartwick.
Game 1 (Sonoma State; W, 7-6)
Whittier added the first tally of the game at the 6:16 mark from Laurel Pinkley. Following a Sonoma State goal, Whittier's Isabella Gorrocino would find the back of the goal giving WC a 2-1 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
The Poets would come out in the second and add the first two scores from Arlin De La Mora and Gorrocino both coming on man up situations that extended the lead to 4-1. With 1:08 to play though, Sonoma State would add their second coming out of a timeout that cut the deficit to two at intermission.
De La Mora added her second out of the half but back to back goals from the Seawolves pulled the score to 5-4 until Cynthia Castillo added her first of the game with 49 seconds to play. Following an ejection on Gorrocino with 36 seconds, Sonoma State would answer pulling within one after three full quarters.
In the final frame both defenses picked up each allowing one goal apiece. The Seawolves would knot the game up at six following an ejection but Whittier would respond with 31 seconds remaining in regulation as Gorrocino would add the game winner propelling the Poets to yet another big victory over a Division II opponent.
Game 2 (Brown; L, 9-5)
In the second game of Day 1, Whittier matched up against Division I Brown University. The game was deadlocked at three after one quarter of play, which included a last second goal from Jenel Rivera. Other scores came from Jasmine Villalpando and Gorrocino.
The Poets took a 4-3 lead to open the second from Jae Crabtree but the Bears would add the last two tallies of the half to go into intermission leading 5-4.
Out of the break, Whittier would tie the game up at five thanks to Rivera but that would be the last goal scored from the Purple & Gold as Brown went on to add the next four goals to close out the half en route to the 9-5 victory.
Game 3 (Cal State San Bernardino; W, 15-5)
On Day 2 of the Invite Whittier opened with a lopsided 15-5 victory over the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino. The Poets opened with a 4-1 first quarter and would add another two in the second en route to a 6-2 lead at the half.
Out of intermission, WC would continue where they left off adding another five scores while holding the Coyotes scoreless moving the score to 11-2. Then in the final frame, Whittier would add insurance with another four tallies, while CSSB would add three.
Whittier had 10 different players score led by Villalpando and Hayley Parker who each added three goals apiece. De La Mora had two, while Pinkley, Castillo, Gorrocino, Natalie Halvorsen-Herrera, Rivera, Crabtree, and Celeste Moreira added one a piece.
In goal, Mattie Winkler collected seven saves, while Denise Cervantes had three.
Game 4 (Hartwick; L, 14-7)
In the final match-up of the tournament, Whittier faced off against Division I Hartwick who is ranked in the Top 10 by the Collegiate Water Polo Association.
Hartwick jumped out in front with four goals in the first period before Whittier stopped the bleeding with 24 seconds left in the quarter from Gorrocino.
The Poets added the first score to open the second from Crabtree and would get another from Pinkley at the 3:28 mark before trailing at the half 6-3. Then in the second half Hartwick opened up the game adding another seven goals, while Whittier added one from Crabtree. But it wouldn't be enough as the Hawks would hold on for the seven goal victory.
Winkler got the start in goal and collected nine saves in the loss.
Whittier returns to conference play as they host La Verne this Wednesday, March 26 at 7:00pm before taking on Brown on Wednesday, March 27 at 4:00pm and finishing off the week with another SCIAC match-up against Redlands this Saturday, March 29 at 11:00am immediately followed by the alumni game at 1:00pm.
