The University of Redlands women's water polo team competed in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) showdown against the University of La Verne Leopards on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in the Thompson Aquatic Center. The Maroon and Gray used timely defense and a prolific offense to haul in its third SCIAC victory of the season, defeating the Leopards by the score of 14-13.
Starting with the opening sprint, Redlands came out on fire to successfully squander a handful of La Verne scoring opportunities. Senior attacker Tricia Bannister (Naperville, IL) notched the first score of the game, while senior utility player Deandra Van Houten (Huntington Beach, CA) scored minutes later for the Bulldogs' early 2-0 lead.
After La Verne got on the board, Redlands' sophomore defender Rashel Alvarez-Zakson (Santa Monica, CA) located the back of the net with a hair over two minutes to go in the opening frame to preserve her team's two-score advantage.
However, the Leopards made a late-period run to tie the game at three-all entering into the second frame.
The Bulldogs quickly responded with a four-goal showing in the second stanza to pull ahead in the tight battle. Junior utility player Taylor Christie (Anaheim, CA) broke the tie just 30 seconds into the frame, before Van Houten pushed her total to three goals with back-to-back scores on consecutive possessions to make it a 6-4 game.
Junior goalkeeper AC Lopez (Northridge, CA) provided a nice save that she deflected off her arm, which ricocheted off the crossbar to keep La Verne out of the net at a crucial juncture. She finished with six saves, including four in the final quarter.
Junior attacker Annie Kinney (Newport Beach, CA) put an exclamation point on the second-period scoring spurt by uncorking a netter with 1:22 left, putting Redlands up by a score of 7-5 at the midway point of the contest.
During the third period, the Bulldogs kept up their offensive energy with another four-goal outburst, as Kinney and Van Houten combined efforts with efficient shooting for an 11-9 advantage.
After an early fourth-period score by the Leopards, the Maroon and Gray built its largest lead of the contest for the second time at 14-11 with 1:36 left on the clock. Freshman attacker Rachel Haney (Redmond, OR) joined in the scoring when she netted her first score of the game, while Bannister and Kinney each notched another goal for the Bulldogs.
Although La Verne managed two late scores, Redlands remained in front for the hard-fought 14-13 victory.
After the momentum-building victory, Head Coach Chris Gielen praised the team's growth throughout his first season with the Bulldogs. "I think the team has come a long way," he said. "I feel we are at the point where we are competitive. It comes down to being consistent, where all six players are doing the same thing."
Despite their early struggles, Gielen recognizes the positive development of his players. "It's more about us and less about the competition," Gielen emphasized. "I think we are going to be competitive against whoever we face. Overall, we are leaps and bounds from where we started."
The Bulldogs (5-23, 3-4 SCIAC) face off against the Occidental College Tigers on Sunday, April 19, for Senior Day at the Thompson Aquatic Center. The game is slated for 10 a.m.