Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
Article by: Carsen West
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Whittier College women's water polo team extended their winning streak Saturday to three games as they edged the Occidental College Tigers with a score of 15-11, continuing their run of being undefeated in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.
Although the Tigers came out at the start of the game to put a point on the board first, the Poets came back strong with freshmen Jenel Rivera putting away two goals in retaliation. Both teams fought in a defensive stalemate through the first quarter, with senior goalie Mattie Winkler saving a crucial one-on-one shot. In the last minutes, the Tigers put away another goal to even the score going into the second.
Winkler continued to make several incredible saves for the Poets, while senior Laurel Pinkley sparked the Poet's offensive unit with a big turn in set and a high corner shot. A backhand for Rivera would snag another point for the Poets. Then with a relentless combination of a steel defensive curtain and an aggressive offensive push, the Purple & Gold pulled ahead of the Tigers with a solid 9-5 lead at halftime.
Despite a Tiger goal starting out the third quarter, the Poets continued to hold a determined defensive mentality, with steals from Rivera and Isabella Gorrocino, and more stops from Winkler. Ejections and man down situations would allow the Tigers two more points, however, sophomore Cynthia Castillo would answer with a quick breakaway goal to wrap up the third quarter moving the score to 11-8.
Rivera won the sprint for the Poets in the fourth and final quarter of play, while Jasmine Villalpando would find the back of the cage to put the score at 12-9. Another strong turn for Pinkley tacked another point on the board for Whittier, and Winkler came out of the cage in the shallow end of the pool for a steal. Freshman Arlin De La Mora earned an ejection and a man up situation that the Poets would capitalize on with a shot from Castillo in at the post. Then in the final seconds the Tiger goalie came out of the cage enough for Pinkley to pop in another to finish out the game with a score of 15-11.
Whittier returns home to the Lillian Slade Aquatics Center this Wednesday, April 9th as they take on the Sagehens of Pomona Pizter beginning at 7:00pm.
