WHITTIER, Calif. (Apr. 12, 2025) – Senior
Haley Kivett (Beaverton, Ore. / Southridge) and Junior
Alexandra Haluska (Brea, Calif. Brea Olinda / Fullerton College) were among the heroes for the Whittier College women's water polo team on Saturday afternoon. The Poets overcame adversity to defeat the University of Redlands, 14-13, in overtime to send their seniors out with a win in the home finale.
Kivett followed up a four-goal performance at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges by firing in five goals to lead the Poets in the final home game of her impressive career. Kivett was among the three seniors recognized before the game on Saturday, joining classmates
Emily Flores (Newbury Park, Calif. / Newbury Park) and
Charlotte Umstead (San Mateo, Calif. / Hillsdale), all of whom are also four-year letterwinners on the team.
In the early going, it looked like it was going to be another dominant Saturday afternoon for sophomore center
Kayla Arias (Brea, Calif. / Brea Olinda / Fullerton College). Arias just one week ago potted eight goals that threatened the single-game scoring record, and on Saturday scored Whittier's first two goals of the game, answering the Bullodgs, who scored on their opening possession. However, Redlands made the necessary adjustments to keep Arias off the board for the remainder of the game. However, it was here where Kivett, and later Haluska would pick up the slack.
Kivett scored three of her five goals in the second quarter, a defining one for the Poets this season. Whittier scored six of its 14 goals during this segment, the last of which came off the shot of goalie
Candace Tezak (La Habra, Calif. / La Habra / Fullerton College). The goal brought Whittier fans to their feet. and the Poets couldn't have ultimately won the game without it. While Kivett carried the offense throughout the majority of the second quarter, it was Haluska who came on late to score three of Whittier's last four goals of the game between the fourth quarter and overtime.
Even with the Bulldogs beating the buzzer to send the game to overtime, the Whittier defense buckled down in front of goalie
Aubrie Kirkby Tatro (Arroyo Grande, Calif. / Arroyo Grande / Cuesta College) and held Redlands scoreless during the overtime periods. This opened the door for Haluska to fire in the go-ahead goal with 2:07 remaining. The go-ahead goal would be the game-winning goal, giving the Poets their fourth SCIAC win of the season.
Head Coach
Preslav Djippov and the Poets have some unfinished business to attend to before the end of the 2025 season. Whittier will travel to Occidental College for the season finale on Wedneday, Apr. 16. A win could be the difference between the Poets finishing in sixth or seventh place in the conference.
Follow and show support for your Whittier Poets on Twitter (@WCPoets), YouTube and Instagram (@PoetAthletics)!
