Photos by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Water Polo team earned their second straight Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Title Sunday afternoon defeating La Verne 17-12 making it back-to-back Championships for the Purple & Gold.

The Poets, the reigning 2015 SCIAC Champions have now found themselves again entering into the NCAA Division I National Championships with an opponent yet to be determined.

The Championship marks the second in program history for the Poets as they moved to 26-7, 11-0 SCIAC extending their winning streak to 12 games.

The first half proved tough and physical as the Poets saw Leopard Guarina Garcia ejected from the game for committing three major fouls, all coming in the second quarter. 

The Poets would use that to their advantage as Isabella Gorrocino (East Los Angeles, Calif.) would capitalize on the man-up opportunity sending WC into the half leading 8-6.

Whittier opened the third quarter with four unanswered that extended their lead to 11-7 and they didn't look back as Gorrocino, Angelica Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif.), and Anastacia Gonzalez (Montebello, Calif.) would secure the victory with three in the final eight minutes that propelled the Poets to the Championship.

Hernandez and Gorrocino each recorded four goals apiece, while four Poets registered two goals each. 

Caitlin Bronzan (Brentwood, Calif.) earned the victory finishing with three saves.