Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
REDLANDS, Calif. – For the second straight tournament the Whittier College Women's Water Polo team has split with the competition going 2-2 during the Bulldog Classic over the weekend.
The Purple & Gold remain at .500 on the season after dropping both contests on Day 1 to No. 20 Cal State Northridge (18-8) and Concordia (17-8), before sweeping Toronto (6-5) and Ottawa (12-4) on Day 2.
Game 1 (No. 20 Cal State Northridge; L, 18-8)
It was a tough start for the Poets facing off against No. 20 Cal State Northridge. The Purple & Gold gave the Matadors all they could handle putting up four goals in the opening quarter, which included an early 2-0 lead from Natasha Velez (La Habra, Calif.), and Sawyer Bellville (Chino, Calif.). Later on in the frame Bellville and Jacqueline Au (Los Angeles, Calif.) would connect that would keep things tied at 4-4.
CSUN would manage to outscore WC 3-2 in the 2nd Quarter as Teresa Marchetti (Messina, Italy) and Ana Alumbaugh (Honolulu, HI) would find the back of the next keeping it a one goal game at the break. But in the second half it was all Cal State Northridge outscoring the Poets 11-2, which included a shutout in the 3rd. The two goals that came in the 4th were from Ally Burke (Las Vegas, NV) and Au.
Whittier was outshot on the game 35-30 and was 2-for-7 on power plays. Lauren Tapia (Whittier, Calif.) and Tahlia Pou (Stockton, Calif.) split time between the posts with Tapia registering nine saves and a steal and Pou with a save and a pick.
Game 2 (Concordia (CA); L, 17-8)
The second game of the doubleheader started off strong as well with Marchetti and Bianca Vera (Los Angeles, Calif.) giving the Poets an early 2-1 lead. Then with :10 seconds to play Bellville connected on a power-play giving WC a 3-2 advantage.
The eagles bounced back in the 2nd Quarter with a 4-2 advantage. They went on a 3-1 run early before Velez would stop the bleeding with a 6-on-5 tally at the 1:14 mark making the score 6-5 at the break. Out of the half the Eagles continued to pour it on this time with nine connections as they would open the game up. During the quarter Velez and Bellville would score that would keep it a single digit game. Then in the 4th, despite getting another goal from Au, it wouldn't be enough to spark a comeback as CUI would run away with the nine goal victory.
Whittier outshot Concordia 32-26 and was 6-for-13 on power-plays. Velez and Bellville each added two goals with Bellville totaling three steals. Tapia played all 32:00 minutes and finished with four saves and a steal.
Game 3 (Uni. of Toronto; W, 6-5)
Coming out on Day 2 the Poets were matched up against a tough Toronto squad. It was a low scoring game but the difference came across the first eight minutes where WC was able to outscore the Blues 4-1. Marchetti opened things up on a power play and Burke responded with an even tally. Marchetti then returned minutes later to convert a 5-meter moving the score to 3-0 and Au capped things off with an even goal with :03 seconds remaining in the frame.
Whittier was held scoreless in the 2nd Quarter as Toronto pulled within two at the break. Out of the half the Blues cut the deficit to one with a power play from Caitlyn Tiedje, but after that Bellville and Velez would respond with back-to-back answers that pushed the lead to 6-3.
The Blues created some pushback in the 4th holding the Poets scoreless and putting up two goals themselves to get within one, but the comeback would fall short as WC would hold on for the one goal victory.
Whittier held the advantage on shots 29-26, but was just 1-for-8 on power plays. Bellville finished with a goal, an assist and two steals and Marchetti tallied two goals and a steal.
Tapia picked up the win between the posts with seven saves and a steal.
Game 4 (Ottawa; W, 12-4)
The final game of the tournament was a lopsided affair with the Poets rolling Ottawa (AZ) 12-4. WC faced off against a first year program and they proved an easy task outscoring the Spirit 4-0 in the 1st Quarter before holding an edge 5-1 in the final frame.
It was a quick start for the Purple & Gold as Burke, Marchetti, Velez, and Alumbaugh would give WC an early lead. Burke would extend the lead to 5-0 early in the second as WC held a 5-1 lead at the break. Out of the half both teams picked up another two goals with Whittier seeing Marchetti and Amelia Gregorio (Aventura, FL) keep the deficit at four.
The in the 4th the Poets pulled away finishing off the final 5:36 on a 5-0 run with goals from Velez, Marchetti, Vera and Grace Arnsparger (Long Beach, Calif.).
Whittier finished with a 32-26 advantage on shots and was 2-for-5 on power plays. Tapia again played all 32:00 minutes between the posts and totaled four stops.
Whittier has the rest of February off and will return to the pool March 4 when they travel to take on Chapman University to open Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) play.
