Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Whittier College women's water polo team continues to roll here in 2016 as they wrapped up a strong showing at the Claremont Convergence over the weekend going 3-1 beating Claremont-M-S (12-8), Penn St.-Behrend (12-3), and St. Francis (N.Y.) (14-7).
The one loss came from UC San Diego 14-5, but Whittier still holds an impressive 11-3 start to their season.
Game 1 (Claremont-M-S; W, 12-8)
Whittier started off the Convergence with host CMS beating them for the second time this season. The Purple & Gold got off to a slow start and got the lone goal in the quarter with just :19 seconds left coming from Isabella Gorrocino (East Los Angeles, Calif.).
In the second, the Poets went off for seven goals, while holding the Athena's to just one taking a huge 8-1 lead into the break.
Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, Calif.) led the charge with two goals during the run, while another five were scored by Zyania Morales, Kendyl Riley (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Jasmine Villalpando (Commerce, Calif.), Jennifer Preciado (Pico Rivera, Calif.), and Angelica Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.).
Lindsay Shoaff (Costa Mesa, Calif.) added the first goal out of the intermission and Villalpando added the Poets 10th goal soon after helping Whittier extend their lead to 11-3. CMS attempted a comeback putting in five goals in the fourth quarter but it would be too little too late as Whittier would roll to the 12-8 decision.
Game 2 (UC San Diego; L, 14-5)
In the second game of the Convergence, Whittier was matched up against No. 12 UCSD. They trailed 4-2 after the first quarter with goals coming from Morales and De La Mora but after that it would be all Tritons as they would add six in the second to take a 10-4 at the break.
Other goal scorers for Whittier included Riley, Gorrocino, and Villalpando.
Game 3 (Penn St.-Behrend; W, 12-3)
Whittier had a clean sweep on the second day of the Convergence getting the offense back on track with a lopsided 12-3 win over Penn St.-Behrend. They added four unanswered in the first eight minutes and then another three in the second to take a 7-0 lead at halftime.
In the third, the Purple & Gold would add another two and would put together a strong finish adding three more in the fourth.
Anastacia Gonzalez (Montebello, Calif.) led the Poets with three goals, while Riley, Anaissa Paul (Chula Vista, Calif.), and Leimana Hassett (Lahaina, HI) would record two goals apiece.
Game 4 (St. Francis (N.Y.); W, 14-7)
In the second game on the day, Whittier continued to show their strength on both ends of the pool. They took a 3-1 lead after the first quarter with two of them coming on man-up situations. The teams went back and forth in the second each recording another three goals apiece as the deficit remained two at 6-4 at halftime.
In the third, Whittier opened the game up putting up a six spot on the board, while holding St. Francis to just one goal. Shoaff added two during the spurt. Then in the fourth, St. Francis would try a late comeback with two conversions but Whittier would add another two themselves as they went on to claim the clean sweep.
Shoaff, Gorrocino, Cynthia Castillo (Los Angeles, Calif.), Villalpando, and Hernandez each added two goals.
Whittier returns to the pool this Wednesday, March 9 when they host the University of Redlands beginning at 7:00pm.
