The fifth-seeded University of Redlands women's water polo team completed the 2015 season with a valiant effort in the seventh-place match of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championships, falling to seventh-seeded Regals of Cal Lutheran University, 10-16. Amidst a tale of two very different halves, the Bulldogs held a 6-3 lead through the first but then saw their small advantage slip away as the Regals fired off 13 goals in the final 16 minutes.
The Maroon and Gray jumped out to a 2-0 lead after junior utility player Taylor Christie (Anaheim, CA) and junior attack Annie Kinney (Newport Beach, CA) each found the back of the net in the first frame.
After the Regals pulled one back to end the period, Redlands opened the second stanza with three-straight netters for a 5-1 advantage. Kinney, freshman attack Rachel Haney (Redmond, OR), and senior utility player Deandra Van Houten (Huntington Beach, CA) served as the goal-scorers for the Maroon and Gray.
Cal Lutheran answered right back with a pair of scores, before Redlands' junior attack Meg Claypool (Portland, OR) capped off the strong first half for the Bulldogs with a goal to make it 6-3.
However, the Regals erupted for a 7-2 run in the third period to take a 10-8 lead with eight minutes to go. Van Houten and sophomore defender Rashel Alvarez-Zakson (Santa Monica, CA) notched scores for the Bulldogs.
Redlands never recovered in the fourth, as Cal Lutheran's offense remained hot en route to the 16-10 decision. For the Bulldogs, Haney and freshman attack Michelle Na (Mercer Island, WA) found the back of the net once apiece in the final frame.
Junior goalkeeper AC Lopez (Northridge, CA) patrolled the Bulldog cage, making five stops in the complete-game effort.
Redlands finishes the season with a 4-7 mark in conference and a 6-26 overall record.
