THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - A Sunday tripleheader conclude the Cal Lutheran women's water polo team's three day, seven game schedule during this weekend's Posada Royale Invitational. The Regals won two of three games on the day and finished 5-2 overall.
Box Score: CLU 9, SFC 8 - F
Box Score: OXY 10, CLU 7 - F
Box Score: CLU 11, CU 9 - F
CLU Head Coach Craig Rond was pleased with his team's performances over the grueling three day event. Defense was the focus and several role players received significant playing time due to the demanding schedule.
Cal Lutheran 9, Saint Francis 8 - F
Cal Lutheran led 4-3 at the half following a late second quarter score from Christina Messer. From that point on the Regals never trailed and led by as many as three goals in the fourth quarter.
A pair of Saint Francis goals in the final 40 seconds of regulation cut the Cal Lutheran lead to 9-8. Paloma Szivos scored six of the Terriers eight goals with her last coming in the final second of the game.
Kelsey Bergemann and Mieke Howell finished with two goals apiece to lead Cal Lutheran. Bergemann and teammate Sarah Mock combined to draw seven of the team's eight earned ejections.
Cal Lutheran goaltender Skylar Vasquez contributed eight saves, two steals and an assist in the victory.
Occidental 10, Cal Lutheran 7 - F
Occidental scored four of the first five goals to open its final weekend contest against Cal Lutheran. The Tigers never trailed after building a 4-1 lead early in the second quarter.
CLU kept pace with OXY by cashing in on premium scoring chances throughout the game. Cal Lutheran converted 5-of-9 player advantage chances and 1-of-2 penalty shots. However Occidental goalkeeper Rachel Adeleye made a crucial stop late in the game that would have given the Regals an emotional lift.
Cal Lutheran earned a 5-meter penalty shot with 21 seconds left in the third quarter. A Regals conversion on the attempt would have brought the Regals even for the first time at 7-7. However Adeleye came up with the stop and the Tigers went on to pull away scoring the next three goals.
Five different CLU players scored led by Adrienne Ingalla and Bergemann with a pair each. Occidental's Tessa Findlay-Bailey scored three goals to lead the visiting side. Cal Lutheran goalkeeper Kylee Tomasetti made seven stops against the Tigers.
The Tigers completed their undefeated weekend which included a victory over nationally ranked and NCAA Division I squad UC Santa Barbara on Saturday.
Cal Lutheran 11, Chapman 9 - F
Despite playing their seventh game in three days the Regals offense came out strong scoring nine first half goals. After surrendering the game's opening goal Cal Lutheran scored five unanswered while shutting out the Panthers over a 10-plus minute stretch.
CLU quickly watched its 9-3 halftime lead shrink to a two-goal margin heading into the fourth quarter. Chapman's Sam Martin provided most of her team's offensive firepower scoring six goals in full time.
Back-to-back scores by Bergemann and Shannon Streeter extended Cal Lutheran's advantage back to four and the Regals held on to win 11-9. Bergemann and Ingalla combined for five of the team's nine first half goals, and six overall against the Panthers.
Goalkeeper Jessika Bell was the third different goalkeeper to start for Cal Lutheran on Sunday. She contributed nine saves and an assist in the win.
Cal Lutheran (5-5) will take part in the two-day Claremont Convergence starting on Friday, March 9. All four of CLU's contests will be held at the Axelrood Pool on the campus of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
