Entering the season with 10 freshmen and only four seniors, the University of Redlands women’s water polo team faced the challenge of utilizing young talent early on but finished strong by reaching the Collegiate III Championship game. The Bulldogs accumulated a 16-20 overall record and improved upon their sixth-place finish in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) from 2008 by taking fourth in the conference standings with a 5-5 record in 2009.

Redlands kicked off the season with the Redlands Mini-Tournament and narrowly lost to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges before downing Cal State San Bernardino, an NCAA Division II institution. The Bulldogs then traveled to San Diego two weeks later and gained experience against NCAA Division I and NAIA competition at the UC San Diego Triton Invitational.

The Thompson Aquatic Center served as host for the second Redlands Mini-Tournament on Feb. 21. Redlands lost a tight 7-8 heartbreaker to UC Santa Cruz, before besting Azusa Pacific University by a score of 11-6. In the final contest of the afternoon, the Bulldogs battled NCAA Division I’s Siena College (NY) and defeated the Saints, 10-8.

After another two-week respite, the squad returned to action and faced the likes of Cal State Northridge and UC Berkeley at the Cal Lutheran Tournament. Redlands emerged victorious in its first game of the weekend against Mercyhurst College (PA) by a 9-5 decision. Senior center Sam Greenawalt (Riverside, CA) paved the way with her four-goal outburst.

The Bulldogs upended Washington & Jefferson College (PA) on day one of the Claremont Convergence, and the team achieved a historic landmark in a 9-8 clipping of George Washington University (DC) the following afternoon. With the win over the Colonials, 15-year Head Coach Tom Whittemore won his 300th game at the helm of the Redlands women’s water polo program.

In the squad’s first non-tournament tilts of the season, the Maroon and Gray excelled, staving off Macalester College (MN) and Wagner College (NY). Senior driver Claire Quinn (Fresno, CA) provided the Bulldogs with the offensive edge they needed against Wagner, netting a hat trick in the 6-5 victory.

Redlands matched up well against the competition in its first two conference games, outscoring Caltech and the University of La Verne by a combined margin of 27-1. Against the Beavers, the Maroon and Gray saw break-out performances from various newcomers, including a four-goal showing from freshman driver Jordan McKee (Apple Valley, CA). In addition, freshman driver Taylor Johnson (Long Beach, CA) and freshman center Jamie Paul (Sandy, UT) each provided a hat trick.

Following losses to Occidental College and Cal Lutheran University, the Bulldogs rattled off two straight wins, throttling Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges by a score of 11-4, before emerging victorious in a 14-12 barnburner against Whittier College. In her final contest at the Thompson Aquatic Center, Quinn buried a game-high five goals against the Athenas. Against Whittier, Greenawalt pulverized the Poet defense as she tallied six scores.

Finally, the Bulldogs closed out their regular season with a tough 4-7 loss to Pomona-Pitzer in Claremont.

As the No. 4 seed in the SCIAC Championship Tournament, the Maroon and Gray received a tough first-round draw, facing the difficult task of competing against host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps at night in front of an energized Athena crowd. Defense prevailed as Redlands outlasted its opponents, 5-3, to advance into the top half of the bracket. Five different women found the back of the net for the Bulldogs with senior center Jen Caron (San Dimas, CA), freshman center Jaime Nippert (Gresham, OR), sophomore driver Chandler Weeks (Palm Desert, CA), Greenawalt and Quinn all contributing scores in the team’s hard-fought victory.

The Bulldogs later surrendered to Cal Lutheran University in a tough 5-9 decision, before coming up one goal short against Occidental College in the third-place game.

The team’s successes were rewarded a few days later when the Maroon and Gray earned a berth to the Collegiate III National Women’s Water Polo Championships. With outstanding performances on the first day of competition, Redlands put itself in prime position to make a run at the championship. Wins over Washington & Jefferson and Cal State East Bay set the Bulldogs up for a day-two match with a familiar Pomona-Pitzer team. Five different players scored for Redlands, but the Sagehens found a way to win, gaining an 8-5 triumph.

Nonetheless, the Maroon and Gray gutted out a heartfelt 9-7 victory against UC Santa Cruz, earning a spot in the title game. Greenawalt led the Bulldogs with three goals, and junior goalkeeper Whitney Schieler (Porterville, CA) dampened the blow of the Banana Slugs’ offensive force, stopping eight shots.

Redlands’ season, however, came to a close in the championship game as Pomona-Pitzer bested the Maroon and Gray, this time by a 10-5 final.

Both Greenawalt and freshman driver Kelli Moy (Honolulu, HI) garnered All-Tournament Team honors following the three-day championship event. Greenawalt landed on the First Team, while Moy corralled a spot on the Second Team.

As a result of stellar play in SCIAC competition, the conference head coaches bestowed First-Team All-SCIAC honors upon Greenawalt and handed Quinn Second-Team All-SCIAC laurels. This marked Greenawalt’s third All-SCIAC award, while Quinn gains her first-ever All-Conference award with a spot on the Second Team. At the conclusion of the season, Greenawalt and Quinn received Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-America First-Team and Second-Team honors, respectively, while Caron was tabbed as an All-America Honorable Mention.

Redlands looks to its 16 returning players next year to help fill the void left by an accomplished senior class that includes Greenawalt, Quinn, Caron, driver Alex Haynes (Valley Center, CA) and driver Katelyn La Pine (Laguna Niguel, CA). With a number of major contributors expected to compete for the Bulldog women’s water polo team in 2010, the Maroon and Gray appears ready to challenge the conference’s top teams and vie among the best in Division III.