Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Water Polo team won their fifth straight Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) game Saturday holding off the University of Redlands 10-5.
Whittier improves to 10-4, 6-1 SCIAC and currently sits in a tie for 2nd place in the SCIAC Standings.
The Purple & Gold started off slow seeing Redlands go on top 2-0 in the first quarter, which included converting a 5-meter penalty at the 2:05 mark. In the second Whittier switched the script outscoring the Bulldogs 4-1, which included four straight over a nine minute span. These tallies coming from Teresa Marchetti (Messina, Italy), Sawyer Bellville (Chino, calif.), and Roni Ramirez (La Habra, Calif.).
Out of the half the Poets picked it up on the defensive end blanking UR in the 3rd quarter 3-0. Anastacia Gonzalez (Montebello, Calif.) got the scoring started and Ramirez and Taylor Kleinert (Lodi, Calif.) ended the run moving the score to 7-3.
Over the final eight minutes, UR made a final push putting up two goals but that came under 2:30 to play and after Whittier had scored three straight from Marchetti, Bellville, and Bianca Vera (Los Angeles, Calif.) that put the game out of reach.
Whittier outshot Redlands 28-20 and was 3-for-10 on power-plays. They won all four sprints and saw sophomore goalie Tahlia Pou (Stockton, Calif.) post a six save effort.
Ramirez led the offense with three goals and a pair of steals. Bellville added two goals and two assists with two picks and Marchetti added a pair of strikes.
