Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Water Polo team saw their 12-game winning streak come to a close Saturday evening in the Division I National Championship Play-In Game falling in a tight 11-7 contest to No. 10 UC San Diego.
The Purple & Gold put together a late run but couldn't overtake the 10th-ranked UC San Diego Tritons who improved to 27-9.
Whittier completes their season with an impressive 26-8, 11-0 SCIAC record putting together the most impressive single season performances in school history breaking the record for most wins in a single season.
The first quarter was a low scoring affair with a combined four goals being scored. The Tritons added the first two before Jenel Rivera (Whittier, Calif.) would stop the run cutting the deficit in half. UCSD would add another late that gave them a 3-1 advantage.
In the second quarter it was a you-score-I-score with team trading goals as UCSD would put in another three. Whittier would get another two goals in the frame to trail 6-3 at the half.
Whittier was held scoreless in the third period as the Tritons extended their lead to 8-3 but the run would be stopped as WC would answer with four goals of their own in the final eight minutes, with two coming from Isabella Gorrocino (East Los Angeles, Calif.) just outside five-meters but UCSD managed to add three themselves that helped them escape with the four goal victory.
Caitlin Bronzan (Brentwood, Calif.) put together a strong showing in goal finishing with 12 saves.
BOX SCORE
UCSD 3 3 2 3 - 11
WC 1 2 0 4 - 7
Goals
UCSD: Laurel Kistler 3, Julia Kirkland 3, Lani Tittle, Alexis Wieseler, Kayla Fedler, Lauren Boyer, Chanel Schilling.
WC: Gorrocino 2, Kaitlin Vera (Fullerton, Calif.) 2, Rivera, Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, Calif.), Zyania Morales (Commerce, Calif.).
Saves
UCSD: Courtney Miller 12.
WC: Bronzan 12.
