The University of Redlands women's water polo team continued its Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) schedule by facing off against the Caltech Beavers on Saturday in Pasadena. The Bulldogs made waves on the offensive end by firing home a season-high 14 goals en route to a 14-3 victory.
The Bulldogs wasted no time taking control of the contest, as senior attacker Tricia Bannister (Naperville, IL) unleashed two scores in the opening quarter. Senior utility player Deandra Van Houten (Huntington Beach, CA) followed with a goal for Redlands' early 3-1 advantage.
The Maroon and Gray continued to roll in the second stanza, with Van Houten notching back-to-back scores in the beginning of the quarter. Junior attacker Jane Kim (Sunnyvale, CA) took control of the final 3:39 by gunning home three-consecutive scores to put Redlands up by a score of 8-2. In addition, Kim's first goal of the single-period hat trick was her first of the year.
With the Bulldogs holding a six-goal lead, they remained persistent on offense and stingy on defense. Junior utility player Taylor Christie (Anaheim, CA) and junior attacker Meg Claypool (Portland, OR) joined in on the scoring action by finding the back of the net early in the third quarter to push the squad's lead to 10-3.
During the fourth quarter, freshman attacker Alana Flaherty (Hilo, HI) and sophomore attacker Ginger Carlson (Hilo, HI) tallied their first goals of the year. Bannister and Van Houten remained highly active on the offensive end, as well, by notching a score apiece to ink the Bulldogs' 14-3 victory.
Van Houten led all Bulldogs with four goals, while Kim and Bannister netted three each. Junior attacker Annie Kinney (Newport Beach, CA), junior utility player Caitlyn Freeman (Brentwood, CA), and sophomore defender Rashel Alvarez-Zakson (Santa Monica, CA) each drew two ejections.
Junior Maurisa Major (Sacramento, CA), who has stepped in at goalkeeper for a sidelined teammate, successfully patrolled the cage by allowing a season-low three goals while making two stops.
The Bulldogs (3-21, 1-2 SCIAC) continue conference action against the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges Athenas on Wednesday, April 1, in the Thompson Aquatic Center at 7 p.m.