REDLANDS, Calif. - At the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Women's Water Polo Championships this weekend, Cal Lutheran worked its way to a sixth place finish by going 2-2 with wins over Caltech and Redlands after falling to Pomona-Pitzer and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
PP def. CLU 7-3 - box score unavailable
In a rematch of the last regular season game, the Sagehens upended the Regals in a very tight defensive battle through the first 16 minutes of action. Trailing 2-1 at halftime, PP posted five goals in the second half, but the Regals mustered just a pair, falling 7-3. Amanda Jones contributed two goals, an assist, two drawn ejections and three steals in her final SCIAC Championships. Kristi McGee added the third goal of the game. Logan Young also drew a pair of ejections. Gina Merry recorded 11 saves in the loss.
CLU def. CIT 16-3 - box score unavailable
On Saturday, CLU opened with a commanding victory. The Violet and Gold scored six in the opening frame and never looked back. Overall, 14 different Regals scored, led by a pair apiece from Maddie Campbell and Darby Schuett. Jones handed out four assists to break the all-time assists record at Cal Lutheran with the ultimate record breaker coming on a power play pass to Nicole Roed in the fourth frame. Leading the way, Sam Wulfestieg drew two ejections in the win. Defensively, Schuett came away with three steals while Jones and Young each had two. Additionally, guarding the goal, Merry and Bailey Meyer shared the goalkeeping duties, working one and three quarters, respectively. Merry made three saves and Meyer finished with eight as each recorded an assist.
CLU def. UR 8-7 - box score unavailable
CLU jumped out to a quick 3-1 lead and opened a 4-2 advantage at the break, but the Bulldogs battled back and the teams were tied at 5-5 after three quarters. Late in the fourth frame, Jones found an open Maggie Kurzeka who scored the winning goal with nine ticks to play, extending the Regals' season another day. KC Brendel had a hat-trick while Tatiana McCuaig netted a pair. McCuaig also had two assists and Jones chipped in with a goal, a timely assist and a steal. Kurzekawas tops on the team with a trio of steals and both Merry and Young came away with two. Kurzeka also led the Violet and Gold with four drawn ejections while McGee earned three. Merry tallied nine saves in the win.
CMS def. CLU 9-7 - box score unavailable
The final game of the weekend, on Sunday morning, went to the Athenas by a 9-7 margin. The Regals trailed from the onset and a late surge in the final frame came up short. In her final collegiate game, Jones notched a hat-trick, adding an assist to her career tally, a drawn ejection and three steals. The remaining four goals came from as many different players and McCuaig handed out two assists with the lone field block of the game during her final CLU appearance. Young drew a pair of ejections. Merry finished with 10 saves and a steal in her college finale.
Cal Lutheran (13-19, 5-7 SCIAC) concludes its season with a sixth place finish at the SCIAC Championships. The final league standings will be determined by the remaining tournament outcomes. CLU entered the weekend tied for sixth and played as the No. 7 seed.
The Regals graduate a class of seven.
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