Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Water Polo team clinched the No. 1 overall seed in this weekend's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championships following a 12-8 victory over La Verne at the Lillian Slade Aquatic Center.

Seniors Cynthia Castillo (Los Angeles, Calif.), Jennifer Preciado (Pico Rivera, Calif.), Angelica Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.), and Jasmine Villalpando (Commerce, Calif.) took part in their final home game of their collegiate careers and were sent off in impressive fashion as the Purple & Gold won their ninth straight game wrapping up the regular season 23-7, 8-0 SCIAC, posting the best record in program history.

Zyania Morales put the Poets on the scoreboard at the 5:38 mark.  Castillo answered soon after to put WC back on top 2-1 but ULV would respond with back to back strikes, which included a five-meter to go on top 3-2 for the first time.  With under a minute a play, Castillo managed to get inside her defender tallying her second of the period that deadlocked the game at 3-3.

Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, Calif.), Isabella Gorrocino (East Los Angeles, Calif.), Castillo, Morales, and Jenel Rivera (Whittier, Calif.) extended the run in the second quarter putting the game out of reach outscoring the Leos 5-0 in the eight minutes giving Whittier a big 8-3 lead at the break.

In the third, ULV mounted a comeback going against the Poet reserves adding three goals that pulled them within three.  But three goals in the fourth coming from Angelica Hernandez, Morales, and Rivera would seal the victory as Whittier would hold the Leopards to just two goals in the final quarter.

Castillo and Morales each added three goals apiece, while Caitlin Bronzan (Brentwood, Calif.) totaled six saves in the win.      

Whittier begins the SCIAC Championships this Friday, April 22 as they take on the winner between Caltech and Occidental.  Game time is set for 5:15pm.