THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The final weekend of Spring Break for the Cal Lutheran women's water polo got underway with a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) game against La Verne at the Samuelson Aquatics Center where the Regals were unable to stop the Leopards in a 14-9 loss beneath gorgeous blue skies.
Although Kristi McGee won the opening sprint for the Regals, it was the visiting Leos who struck first with a pair of unanswered goals in the opening frame. At an early 3-0 deficit, the Violet and Gold gritted down and capitalized on a man-advantage situation with good ball movement between Amanda Jones and Tatiana McCuaig that turned into a Maggie Kurzeka goal to get CLU on the board. The second Cal Lutheran score of the day came by way of Sam Wulfestieg on a rebound off a deflection by LV goalkeeper Cambria Serrano. The third and final goal of the half came out of the hands of Cindy Delic with 1:33 to play in the second stanza.
After the intermission, CLU won the sprint and Mardell Ramirez promptly put the ball in the back of the net, pulling the Regals within a pair at 6-4, but the third quarter belonged to La Verne as the differential grew to four at 10-6 entering the final frame despite goals from McCuaig and Nicole Roed. During the last eight minutes, more of the same ensued with LV controlling things. Nicole Guerriero added two to the CLU tally and Kurzeka netted a second.
Overall today, both Kurzeka and Guerriero scored two goals with Guerriero tallying a team-leading three drawn ejections. Kurzeka and Lauren Shackelford each had two drawn ejections as CLU combined for 12. Jones handed out six assists while also sharing the team-lead of three steals with Ramirez and goalkeeper Gina Merry. McCuaig finished with two assists and two steals as well. Merry stopped eight LV shots today.
Cal Lutheran (9-14, 1-2 SCIAC) is on the road Wednesday, March 30 when the Violet and Gold travel to Caltech for a 5:00 p.m. first sprint.
Box Score: LV 14, CLU 9
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