PASADENA, Calif. (Mar. 25, 2025) – Led by junior
Paula Fernandez (Barcelona, Spain / Westcliff University), the Whittier College women's water polo were able to get the strong finish they needed to defeat Caltech, 12-8, on Wednesday night. The victory is the Poets' second in SCIAC play this year.
Fernandez jumped on the Beavers to the tune of five goals and two assists. As has been the case in multiple games this year, Whittier's depth of options was tested, but on Wednesday, they managed to pass that test by outscoring Caltech 7-4 in the second half. Of her five goals, Fernandez scored three of them in the second half to give the Purple & Gold the boost they needed down the stretch. For an exclamation point, sophomore goalkeeper
Aubrie Kirkby Tatro (Arroyo Grande, Calif. / Arroyo Grande / Cuesta College) put her shot on full display, firing a rocket into the back of the net to give the Poets their 12th and final goal of the evening.
Other Poets with multiple goals included junior
Alexandra Haluska (Brea, Calif. / Brea Olinda / Fullerton College) and sophomore
Kayla Arias (Brea, Calif. / Brea Olinda / Fullerton College), who, along with Fernandez combined on the first three strikes of the game that staked the Poets to a 3-0 lead. From there, the Poets were largely able to stick and move, keeping their opponents at a distance without relinquishing the lead or putting a potential win in any danger. Kirkby Tatro played the second half in net, combining with first-half goalie
Candace Tezak for a seven-save performance between the pipes. Kirkby Tatro also came away with an additional three steals that resulted in some key counter attacks for the Poets down the stretch.
Head Coach
Preslav Djippov and the Poets will return to action on Friday, Mar. 3 when they host the University of California, Merced before taking on the University of La Verne in a Saturday home tilt.
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