Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team wrapped up the ZUMO LMU Invitational Saturday as they took on tough competition over the past two days, finishing with a win against Concordia (10-6), and narrow losses to No. 12 Loyola Marymount (11-8), Cal Baptist (13-11), and No. 10 Princeton (13-6).
Game 1 (No. 12 Loyola Marymount – 11, Whittier – 8)
Zyania Morales (Commerce, Calif.) had four goals for the Purple & Gold but LMU pulled away late and held on for the three goal victory to start off the Zumo Invitational. The Lions opened with back to back goals, one on their opening possession and the other at the 3:33 mark. Cynthia Castillo (Los Angeles, Calif.) would then cut the deficit to one finding the back of the net with 1:29 to play in the first quarter.
Castillo would pull Whittier within one at 3-2 to start off the second but the Poets would find themselves soon after trailing by three 5-2 before Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, Calif.) would connect for her first of the game right before the half.
In the third, Whittier' Moraleswould come alive with back to back scores that evened the game up at 5-5. However, the Lions would take the control right back with three of their own that put them back up by three 8-5.
In the final 6:25 a combined six goals were scored with three coming from the Poets, which included another two from Hernandez and one from Jenel Rivera (Whittier, Calif.). But LMU managed to keep the Poets at arm's length en route to the three goal victory.
Game 2 (Whittier – 10, Concordia – 6)
Whittier found their lone win of the Invitational in the nightcap of day one against Concordia (Calif.). This marked the fourth time this season the Poets have taken on the Eagles and have now made it four consecutive victories.
Seven different Poets scored in the win and WC held a three goal lead early and didn't let up as they held on for the four goal victory.
Kendyl Riley (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Rivera put the Poets on top 2-1 after the first quarter. Isabella Gorrocino (East Los Angeles, Calif.) and Hernandez stretched the lead to 4-1 and De La Mora would put the finishing touches on the first half giving the Purple & Gold a 5-2 lead.
In the second half the Poets kept their distance getting a lead as much as five midway through the fourth and Rivera capped off the scoring with :45 seconds left to play that propelled the Poets to their 12th win on the season.
Bronzan in goal finished with five saves.
Game 3 (Cal Baptist – 13, Whittier – 11)
The third game of the Invitational, Whittier took on the Lancers of Cal Baptist University. Goals from Morales, Riley, Gorrocino, Castillo, Hannah Ellett (Merced, Calif.), and Hernandez and four saves from Bronzan fueled an offense that stayed within striking distance of CBU but it wouldn't be enough in the 13-11 loss.
The Lancers scored the first goal of the game on their opening possession, but saw Whittier' Hernandez (2) and Castillo add three straight over the next four minutes that put WC in front 3-1. Hannah Evans from CBU would answer with two of her own that knotted things up and Sydney Iturraran put the Lancers back in front 4-3 with :29 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Poets would get two more tallies in the second from Morales and Gorrocino but CBU managed to add another five to take a comfortable 9-5 lead at the break.
Out of the half, the Poets defensive unit stood strong holding the Lancers to just one goal, while storming back to add four strikes from Riley, Gorrocino, Castillo, and Ellett that tied things up at 10-10. Valerie Spezzaferri and Evans would stop the bleeding with a pair of goals that pushed the lead back to two and despite one final addition from Morales that pulled the Poets within one 12-11 with 3:00 to play, it wouldn't be enough as CBU would add another that moved the final score to 13-11.
Game 4 (No. 10 Princeton – 13, Whittier – 6)
In the final match-up of the Invite, the Poets were faced with a difficult task of going up against USA National Team goalie Ashleigh Johnson. Princeton jumped out to a 10-1 lead midway through the third with the Poets first goal coming from Castillo, which came on a man-up situation in the first quarter.
In the final 2:19 of the third period, Whittier added another two from Castillo and Morales that moved the score to 12-3 and in the final stanza, Whittier would get another three goals from Rivera, Hernandez, and Castillo, while holding the Tigers to just one goal. But it wouldn't be enough for the upset as Princeton went on to win 13-6.
