THOUSAND OAKS Calif. -A physical Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) contest saw Cal Lutheran hold off Pomona-Pitzer, 10-9, at the Samuelson Aquatics Center tonight, despite a delayed start waiting on a referee.
The flow of the game was steady from the start and the intensity was apparent between the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) No. 2 Sagehens and the No. 3 Regals.
The Sagehens took a 2-1 first quarter lead, but CLU responded by winning the second period 3-2 for a tie at the break. The third quarter was the most offensive as the teams combined for nine goals with CLU holding a 5-4 edge to take a 9-8 lead into the final eight minutes when the teams exchanged goals.
PP struck first with a five-meter goal, which they followed with a man-up goal to take a 2-0 lead. With 10 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Morgan McCardell netted a five-meter shot of her own to get CLU on the board and cut the deficit in half entering the second period of play.
Cal Lutheran won the sprint to start the stanza and Shannon Streeter promptly knotted the teams at 2-2. The Regals would then take their first lead of the contest at the 4:30 mark when Jane Galluzzi scored on an assist from Streeter as the shot clock ticked down to one.
After PP tied it up at 3-3, Amanda Jones gave CLU their fourth goal on a spin move in front of the cage to find the back of the net with 2:01 to play in the half.
The Sagehens scored on the ensuing possession to again tie the teams.
Kylee Tomasetti recorded her sixth save of the opening half to keep the teams even. Although CLU had one more chance, the Regals and Hens went into the intermission locked at 4-4.
After the break, Pomona-Pitzer took another lead when Tomasetti came out of the cage and the Sagehens scored from set to go up 5-4.
At the Regals end of the pool on the next play, Galluzzi found Streeter for a behind-the-back goal to again tie the teams at 5-5. McCardell then scored her second of the game on an assist from Jordan Card who was being double teamed as the CLU center.
Pomona-Pitzer equalized, but Card came back on a pass from Adrienne Ingalla to cap off a string of four consecutive possessions in which the teams scored, also giving CLU a lead they would not relinquish for the final 13 minutes of action.
A CLU steal led to their second score in as many shots with Galluzzi giving the Regals a two-goal edge with just under five minutes to play in the third.
The Sagehens netted a skip shot to quickly cut that advantage to one, but again Card pushed the gap to a pair at 9-7 in favor of the Regals at 3:17.
After PP retaliated with 2:18 remaining in the frame, Tomasetti turned away two more PP attempts in the third to keep CLU ahead 9-8.
After winning the final sprint of the game, it was the defense and Tomasetti who stepped up. The teams would each add just one more goal in the game. At the 5:47 mark in the fourth quarter McCardell would score the ultimate winning goal.
Earning a man up with 3:54 in regulation, the CLU coaches called a time out and the Regals nearly converted the opportunity for an insurance goal.
The Sagehens were not done and with 40 seconds to play PP put the pressure on by pulling within one at 10-9.
The Regals passed the ball around to kill the shot clock and following a PP timeout w five seconds remaining, the final Sagehens surge was stopped by the defense to lock up the win.
Tomasetti tallied 16 saves while her counterpart Sarah Tuggy recorded 12 for the Hens. The CLU goalie added a steal with Galluzzi and Streeter coming away with a pair apiece. Ingalla recorded two field blocks today.
Offensively, McCardell led the attack with a hat-trick while Card, Galluzzi and Streeter each added two. Galluzzi also handed out a trio of assists and Card finished with a pair.
Pomona-Pitzer was paced by Katy Schafer and Sarah Westcott who scored three goals apiece.
Earlier this season in a non-conference match up CLU defeated PP 9-8.
Cal Lutheran (7-12, 1-1 SCIAC) will be back at the Samuelson Aquatics Center on Saturday, March 30 to host Chapman at 11:00 a.m.
Box Score: CLU 10, PP 9
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