ORANGE, Calif. - It all came down to the final minute of play in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) tilt between the Cal Lutheran and Chapman women's water polo teams today. A goal from Amanda Jones with 38 seconds to play and a steal from Adrienne Ingalla on the ensuing possession clinched the Regals a 9-8 victory over the Panthers on the road.
CLU opened a 4-2 lead after the first period and pushed the advantage to 6-3 at the intermission, adding a goal in the third to earn a comfortable 7-3 lead entering the final frame. A feisty Panthers team clawed back into the game with five goals and knotted the teams at 8-8 with 49 ticks to go.
After a CLU timeout, in which the coaches drew up a play, the Regals accomplished what they set out to do with Jones finding the back of the net with her third goal of the game to retake the lead. On the next play at the other end of the pool Ingalla notched her team-leading fifth steal of the game and Cal Lutheran was able to run out the clock to clinch the win.
"We executed the play that Coach Pletcher drew up, perfectly," Jones shared, "I was open in the center and I knew I had to finish the ball so we could win."
Joining Jones with a hat-trick today was Jordan Card who also drew a trio of ejections while handing out an assist. KC Brendel, Kaylee Kastrup and Tatiana McCuaig each scored once against the Panthers as well. Ingalla dished out three assists and Jones finished with a pair. Additionally, Brendel earned two ejections in the game for the Regals.
Defensively, McCuaig and Logan Young tallied two steals apiece and the three CLU field blocks on the day came from Jones, Kastrup and Audrey Neilan. Guarding the goal Gina Merry produced nine saves and also came away with two steals.
Cal Lutheran (6-17, 2-1 SCIAC) returns to the friendly confines of the Samuelson Aquatics Center for the next two scheduled games with the first featuring CLU and Whittier on Wednesday, April 2 at 5:00 p.m.
Box Score: CLU 9, CU 8
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