FRESNO, Calif. (Feb. 18, 2024) – The Whittier College women's water polo team played three games up north this weekend, two of which were part of a Bulldog Mini Tournament hosted by Fresno State University. The Poets played the Bulldogs, the third-ranked team in Division I, in the first game on Saturday.
Saturday Game 1: #3 Fresno State 27, Whittier 3
The Poets flashed their talent, in addition to early season collaboration at different points this weekend, but opened the action with a tough draw against one of the toughest teams at any level of NCAA women's water polo. The Poets were, however, able to find sporadic offense, with three different players finding the back of the net. Sophomore
Alexandra Haluska (Brea, Calif. / Brea Olinda), sophomore
Chloe Gardhouse (Agoura Hills, Calif. / Agoura), and senior
Allyson Patrikian (Simi Valley, Calif. / Royal) all scored goals for the Poets, while junior
Emily Flores (Newbury Park, Calif. / Newbury Park) joined her teammates on the stat sheet with an assist.
Goalie
Candace Tezak (La Habra, Calif. / La Habra), one of a handful of Fullerton College transfers for the Poets this year, made five saves against a barrage of shots delivered from the host Bulldogs.
Saturday Game 2: Whittier 17, UC Merced 5
The Purple & Gold came into its own against the University of California Merced, showing they could not only defeat a larger program from NCAA Division II, but handle them. The Poets slung the ball around all game, with seven assists on 17 of their collective goals while showcasing both talent and versatility. Three different players scored four goals, with senior
Jaycee Morris (Lake Elsinore, Calif. / Temescal Canyon) chief among them. Morris scored three of the Poets' first four goals of the game, all of which came inside the first half of the first quarter of the game. She put an exclamation point on her torrid start to the game by scoring her fourth and final goal in the waning seconds of the first quarter on the powerplay.
The word 'versatility' could largely be used to describe Morris' performance in Saturday's second game. To go along with her quartet of goals, the senior also came up with a trio of steals and relieved starting keeper Tezak in net for the final quarter of the game. She finished with two saves, while Tezak managed to pick up eight playing the first three quarters. Morris' big opening quarter staked the Poets to a 6-1 lead from which they did not look back. Joining the senior with six goals were Haluska, along with classmate Gardhouse who also led the Purple & Gold with three assists in a complete offense performance. Leading 12-4 entering the final frame, the Poets exploded for five more goals without surrendering a single strike to their opponents from Northern California.
Sunday: #11 Loyla Marymount 17, Whittier 10
In the final game of another busy weekend for the Poets, Whittier showed it could once against deliver scoring output with double-digit goals for the second time in as many games. Junior
Margarita Moreno (Hacienda Heights, Calif. / Los Altos) opened the scoring for both team, but Whittier would then have to endure an offensive groove from LMU before regaining their footing in the middle frames. Between the second and third quarters, the Poets tied the Lions 6-6 on goals with both teams trading stellar offensive plays, as well as defensive plays that directly led to goals.
Morris once again starred offensively for the Poets, scoring three goals to go with three drawn exclusions and an assist. Junior
Haley Kivett (Beaverton, Ore. / Southridge), meanwhile, matched her teammate with three goals, having her best moments on the powerplay where two out of her three goals occurred. Furthermore, the Poets showed they could compete to the final whistle, finishing the game on a 3-0 scoring run punctuated by a successful strike from senior Patrikian.
Head Coach Preslav Djippov and the Poets, now with two wins under their belt, will head to the Tina Finali Tournament next weekend to take on Toronto University as well as California State University, East Bay on Saturday, Feb. 24.
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