Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

ORANGE, Calif. (Mar. 13, 2022) – The Whittier College women's water polo team took out host Chapman University on Sunday afternoon, 15-9, behind a pair of six-goal periods.

The Poets also received a pair of three-goal games from the likes of seniors Teresa Marchetti (Messina, Italy / Liceo La Farina) and Alex Lopez (Boyle Heights, Calif. / Fullerton College), who together were simply too sharp for the Panthers' defense on the outside. Though the Panthers would go on to close the distance to six goals by game's end, the Poets actually took a commanding 14-5 lead into the fourth quarter and owe a good deal of that to their senior attacking options. Meanwhile, junior Ally Burke (Las Vegas, Nev. / Bishop Gorman) capped off an eight-goal week with a pair of tallies and senior defender Karissa Qualley (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. / Long Beach City College) also found the back of the net on more than one occasion.

Three of Whittier's goals came on the power play, and ultimately, the Poets proved to be the deeper, more efficient and more technical team from start to finish. Senior Lauren Tapia (Whittier, Calif. / Rosary) split time in net with freshman Alexys Puche (Whittier, Calif. / Rosary) with the latter player leading the Poets with four saves. With the Poets firmly able to side step any immediate danger, they took a 6-3 lead into the second period and never looked back, cruising to their fourth SCIAC win of 2022.

Head Coach David Kasa and the Poets will look even the season series with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges when they travel to Claremont to play the Athenas on Wednesday, Mar. 16 at 7 p.m.

 
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