LOS ANGELES (Mar. 25, 2024) – Senior
Jaycee Morris (Lake Elsinore, Calif. / Temescal Canyon) and sophomore
Alexandra Haluska (Brea, Calif. / Brea Olinda) led the way for the talented Whittier College women's water polo team in a 10-7 win against Occidental College that completed the season sweep against the Tigers.
As they have tended to do this season, Whittier was able to manage the Tigers defensively en route to a fairly low scoring affair. However, Whittier's defensive tactics were highlighted by a blazing fast start that, one could argue, was one of the fastest starts to a SCIAC game in the history of the program. The Poets set the tone with six first-period goals, followed with two more to open the second frame. In all, Whittier opened the game on an 8-1 run and have several players to credit for that.
Morris came into Saturday's contest looking to put an exclamation point on an impressive week. She posted one of the highest scoring individual efforts in recent memory against Caltech in which she notched seven goals and one assist, and added to her massive total with three more against California State University, East Bay, the very next day. With a day to rest in between games, Morris delivered another three-goal, one-assist performance and opened scoring for the Purple & Gold on the powerplay. Through the game's first 12 minutes, Morris had all three of her goals for the game accounted for. Likewise, Haluska also netted three goals in addition to three assists, and has rounded into an all-purpose offensive weapon for the Poets down the stretch.
With a healthy lead in hand, the Poets shifted their approach late in the game with an insurmountable lead in hand. They held Oxy off the scoreboard in the third quarter, taking a 9-3 lead into the final quarter of the game. Sophomore goalie
Candace Tezak (La Habra, Calif. / La Habra) did her part by making double-digit saves to stymie the Occidental offense, and by the time the Tigers began to cook, the Poets already had the win well within their grasp.
In addition to Morris and Haluska, four other Poets managed to get on the scoresheet with goals, including junior
Haley Kivett (Beaverton, Ore. / Southridge), who was one of several Whittier players to take advantage of untimely Oxy exclusions by burying a penalty shot in the back of the net during her team's big run to open the game.
Head Coach
Preslav Djippov and the Poets have three more games remaining in the regular season. They will return home on Wednesday, Apr. 10 to host the University of Redlands for a 7 p.m. game.
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