THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The final home contest of the season and careers for seven Cal Lutheran women's water polo players came on a cloudy, rainy morning, but a 13-8 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) victory over Occidental made it a sweet memory for the group.
Four-year letter-winners Amanda Jones, Bailey Likewise, Tatiana McCuaig and Gina Merry and two-year teammates Maggie Kurzeka, Darby Schuett and Lauren Shackelford were joined by family and friends as their respective careers were highlighted prior to the game. The group went on to steal the show in the pool.
Overall, Jones scored a hat-trick with four more assists, as she inches closer to the CLU record, adding a pair of drawn ejections. McCuaig led the defense with three steals, while chipping in with two assists and a goal and Merry notched 10 saves. Shackelford had two goals, an assist and a steal and Schuett finished with a goal, on a five-meter shot late in the fourth period, and the only field block of the game. Likewise drew an ejection and she and Kurzeka each had an attempt in the win.
Once action opened, CLU struck first with a pair of goals from Nicole Roed and Kristi McGee and a couple stellar saves from Merry. After Oxy had cut the gap to 2-1, Jones earned a steal during a man-down situation and converted at the offensive end of the pool to push the Regals ahead 3-1, a score that would remain at the end of the first frame.
Schuett won the opening sprint in the second stanza for the Violet and Gold and Shackelford promptly found the back of the net. Midway through the quarter McCuaig netted a goal for a 5-1 advantage. McGee added another as CLU opened a 6-3 lead at halftime.
After the break, the Regals tacked on a trio more goals from McGee, Jones and KC Brendel, not allowing any to open a comfortable 9-3 lead with eight minutes to play.
Over the final frame, the home team maintained its lead despite a late surge from the Tigers who won the quarter 5-4. CLU got goals from Megan Seeman, Jones, Shackelford and Schuett.
To go along with the output from the senior class, McGee also earned a hat-trick, drawing a team-leading three ejections as well with two steals. Sam Wulfestieg handed out two assists with a pair of drawn ejections and Nicole Guerriero also had two assists.
Cal Lutheran (11-16, 3-4 SCIAC) has a week before its next and final regular season contest, an 11:00 a.m. first sprint at Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday, April 16.
Box Score: CLU 13, Oxy 9
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