Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team opened up 2015 with a split at the Lancer Mini No. 1 this past Saturday earning a convincing 16-12 victory over Concordia (Calif.) before falling to No. 17 UC Santa Barbara 16-5.
Game 1 (Concordia – W, 16-12)
Isabella Gorrocino (Monterey Park, Calif.)got things started for the Purple & Gold adding the first goal at the 6:21 mark in the first quarter. Concordia would tie things up three minutes later but WC would regain the lead adding the final two goals of the frame from Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, Calif.) and Jenel Rivera (Whittier, Calif.) that moved the score to 3-1.
Opening up the second the Poets would add three unanswered to extend their lead to 6-1 thanks to Rivera, Gorrocino, and Hayley Parker (Redwood City, Calif.). The Eagles would stop the bleeding with a goal at the 1:47 mark but Whittier's Rivera and Gorrocino would add another two strikes that would send WC into the break up 8-2.
The scoring continued in the second half with Rivera adding the first two goals for the Poets and Zyania Morales (Commerce, Calif.) and De La Mora would shut the door on the third quarter with goals that extended the lead to 12-7.
In the final stanza a combined nine goals were scored with the Eagles outscoring the Poets 5-4. But it wouldn't be enough as Whittier would hold on for the four goal victory. In the final quarter Whittier received tallies from Morales, Gorrocino, Kayanna Heffner (Bend, OR), and Cynthia Castillo (Los Angeles, Calif.).
For the game both Gorrocino and Rivera each added five goals apiece, while Caitlin Bronzan (Brentwood, Calif.) picked up six saves between the posts.
Game 2 (No. 17 UC Santa Barbara – L, 16-5)
In the second game of the day the Poets took on the No. 17 ranked Gauchos of UCSB. They fell behind early 4-0 before getting their first goal at the 2:20 mark from Riley. The Gauchos would add another two to extend their lead to 6-1 before the Poets would get their second from Riley with three seconds left in the first period.
Whittier would add their third tally midway through the second from Castillo to trail 8-3 at the break but would be outscored 8-2 in the second half with their final two goals coming from Rivera and Gorrocino.
Whittier returns to the pool this Saturday, February 7 as they host the annual Whittier Mini Tournament where they will take on Redlands (12:00pm) and Concordia (Calif.) (4:30pm).
