Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Water Polo team faced a tough field at the San Diego State Invitational this past weekend falling to Wagner (14-7), Indiana (10-3), Bucknell (11-7), and San Jose State (9-7).
Game 1 (Wagner; L, 14-7)
Whittier got in front quickly in the first match-up taking a 3-1 lead after the first quarter with goals from Zyania Morales (Commerce, Calif.) and Anastacia Gonzalez (Montebello, Calif.) (2). But that lead would be erased as the Seahawks would hold the Purple & Gold scoreless in the second, while adding five goals themselves to take a 6-3 lead into the half.
The offense continued with Wagner as they added another five in the third quarter that opened the game up, while Gonzalez would add her third score of the game. In the final eight minutes Jenel Rivera (Whittier, Calif.), Lindsay Shoaff (Costa Mesa, Calif.), and Hannah Rodriguez (Riverside, Calif.) would each tallies but it wouldn't be enough to pull off the come from behind victory.
Caitlin Bronzan (Brentwood, Calif.) got the start in goal and finished with 13 saves and had a steal.
Game 2 (Indiana; L, 10-3)
Whittier's offense was held in check by the Hoosiers in the second contest with just three goals. Despite holding the high powered Indiana offense to just 10, the Purple & Gold were unable to get anything going over the final three periods.
All three goals were scored in the first quarter for the Poets from Rivera (2), and Arlin De La Mora (Commerce, Calif.) as they trailed 4-3 but after that they were held scoreless as Indiana would add six over the next three periods en route to the victory.
Bronzan again got the start finishing with 10 saves between the posts.
Game 3 (Bucknell; L, 11-7)
The second day brought two more tough match-ups for the Purple & Gold. The first with Bucknell who used a big second half to pull off the victory.
Rivera and A. Gonzalez helped give WC a 2-1 lead after the first eight minutes with the go ahead strike coming with just :05 seconds on the clock. Isabella Gorrocino (East Los Angeles, Calif.) extended the Poet lead to 3-1 quickly in the second and Rivera would add her second soon after that gave Whittier a slight 4-3 edge at the break.
But out of the half it was all Bison as they outscored WC 8-3 over the final two periods with four coming in each quarter. Kendyl Riley (Huntington Beach, Calif.) added the lone strike in the third and Gorrocinco and De La Mora would tack on another two in the final stanza but it wouldn't be enough.
Katia Montoya (Riverside, Calif.) played all 32:00 in goal and picked up 10 saves, while Gorrocino and Rivera each added two goals to lead the offense.
Game 4 (San Jose State; L, 9-7)
The final match-up proved exciting against San Jose State, which came down to the final period. Gorrocino and Riley put Whittier on top 2-1 after the first quarter. Gonzalez would add her first of the game to open the second and would tack on her second soon after that gave the Purple & Gold a lead 4-3 at the break.
But in the third the wheels fell off as San Jose State would find their offense outscoring the Poets 4-2 that put them on top for the first time at 7-6. Gorrocino would convert a 5-meter and Rivera would find the back of the goal for the second.
In the final period goals were hard to come by with three combined. The Spartans added the first two of the period, which proved enough for the win despite Gorrocino adding her team third goal of the contest coming with 1:51 to play.
Montoya again started in goal and finished with six saves.
Whittier now drops to 7-9 and now begins the LMU Zumo Invitational this weekend, March 17-18 as they take on Long Beach State (March 17 @ 10:30am), George Washington (March 17 @ 2:15pm), Michigan (March 18 @ 9:15am), and Loyola Marymount (March 18 @ 9:15am).
