THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The Cal Lutheran women's water polo team concluded the Seventh Annual Cal Lutheran Invitational with a pair of close contests on the final day of the three-day, 17-team, 34-game tournament. On a day that started with more rain and ended with the sun shining, the results between the goals were the same. The Regals suffered a tough 11-10 loss to Division II Sonoma State to begin the day and rounded out the weekend with an 8-6 loss to Division I Villanova.
Twice today CLU earned first half advantages of 5-3 and 3-1, respectively, but the inability to make adjustments and tenacious opponents ultimately doomed the Violet and Gold.
In the day three opener CLU took an early 3-1 lead against the Division II Seawolves with Amanda Jones putting up the first crooked number of the day followed by a pair from Adrienne Ingalla. The Regals would tack on two more in the second stanza with the first of two five-meter goals from freshman KC Brendel andanother from Ingalla to push the lead to 5-1.
Sonoma chipped away and reeled off two goals before the break and a third early in the third period to pull within one at 5-4. When Brendel netted her second of the game she gave the home team a one-goal, 7-6, advantage. That was the last lead the Regals would hold, though Jordan Card tied the teams at 9-9 with 4:14 to play in the fourth, adding her second of the contest at the 2:57 mark to bring CLU back within one.
Kaylee Kastrup drew three ejections, contributing with a pair of steals and two assists as well. Brendel also tallied two assists, sharing the team-lead in steals with Ingalla as the duo had a trio apiece. In all four quarters, Gina Merry turned away nine Seawolves shots while nabbing a steal as well.
The last game of the busy weekend saw a scoreless opening quarter. Logan Young, who finished with two goals,scored her first of the tournament from eight meters out to give CLU the first advantage of the game at 1-0. Less than a minute later Nova knotted things, but a well-executed six-on-five saw Audrey Neilan drop a perfect pass to Ingallafor a lob shot to again give the Regals a lead. CLU would tack on a third second quarter goal by way of Brendel.
Following halftime the momentum shifted in favor of the Wildcats. Villanova netted three, but CLU responded with just a pair and Sarina Shibata had a fourth-quarter hat-trick for the visiting squad to steal the win from the Regals despite a late score from Ingalla who was 3-for-6 in the game.
Ingalla also handed out an assist, drew an ejection and grabbed a steal. Tatiana McCuaig was instrumental with three steals and a pair of assists and Card tallied two steals and drew two ejections for the Violet and Gold. Merry finished with 10 stops in front of the cage, also earning three steals.
Cal Lutheran (1-7) is on the road next weekend, playing four games at the Gary Troyer Tournament on Friday and Saturday, Mar. 7-8. CLU will first face CSU San Bernardino at 11:20 a.m. at the Axelrood Pool on the campus of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps before rounding out day one against the Virginia Military Institute at 3:20 p.m.
Box Score: SSU 11, CLU 10
Box Score: NOVA 8, CLU 6
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