Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Water Polo team rolled past Chapman University during the second semi-final game Saturday 17-9 as they earned their second straight trip into the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship Game.
The Purple & Gold currently ride an 11 game winning streak, which dates back to March 26, when they started it off with wins over Brown and Virginia Military Institute.
They improve to 25-7, 10-0 SCIAC and continue to add to the longest winning streak in program history, while adding to the most wins in a single season.
Whittier built an early lead with a well-balanced attack that included first-period goals from five different players. Senior attack player Cynthia Castillo (Los Angeles, CA) led the offensive charge with two scores in the opening quarter.
During the second stanza, the Poets continued to pull away by taking advantage of quality shots. They made it 8-2 with individual scores by Castillo and junior attack Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, CA) before the five-minute mark.
However, the Panthers continued to fight by closing out the quarter on a 4-2 run to cut the deficit to four by the midway point of the game. Emily Fong initiated the scoring stretch, before Katie Dalgamouni, Alison Quincy, and Grace Schade each offered a goal.
Nonetheless, Whittier remained in control throughout the second half, earning the 17-9 win for a spot in the championship game against the No. 3 seed University of La Verne.
Castillo led the Poets with five goals on the day, while De La Mora and Angelica Hernandez (Pico Rivera, CA) each provided hat tricks.
Junior goalkeeper Caitlin Bronzan (Brentwood, CA) patrolled the Poet cage, making six saves in the win.
Whittier takes on La Verne in the final beginning at 3:15pm at the University of Redlands. The only time these teams met was back on April 16 when the Poets won 12-8 at the Lillian Slade Aquatic Center.
