Led by fourth-year Head Coach Chris Gielen, the University of Redlands women's water polo team finished the 2018 campaign with an 8-21 overall record and a 6-8 mark in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action. Despite a daunting start to the season, the Bulldogs stepped up for some huge wins and found success in various ways, as highlighted by a pair of Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-American recognition.
The Bulldogs came across a trio of tough opponents in the opening games of the season at the Whittier College Mini-Tournament. In the opener against Concordia University – Irvine, the squad rallied for four goals in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell, 6-13. During the late surge, junior attacker Sami Walker (Taylorsville, UT) led the Bulldogs with a pair of goals, with senior attacker Michelle Na (Mercer Island, WA) and junior center Kolby Kahahawai (Kailua, HI) adding a goal apiece.
Later that week, Redlands stepped up in a big way to dismantle Occidental College, 13-6, in the conference opener and the first home game of the season. In a tale of two halves, the Bulldogs busted their small halftime lead wide open by utilizing eight players to score eight goals in the final 16 minutes. With a 5-3 advantage, Redlands looked to Kahahawai to fire off the first score of the third quarter off of a quick assist from junior attacker Katelyn Jenkins (Bellevue, WA). Although the Bulldogs relinquished a goal in the third, it bounced back effortlessly with a 3-1 run. Kahahawai, first-year center Alina Waldo (Portland, OR), and Jenkins took care of the scoring, while Walker, Na, and first-year defender Sarah Draves (Fallbrook, CA) handled the assists. With the home team secure in its offensive rhythm, it opened things up with a four-goal spurt in the final frame.
Unfortunately, the celebration was short-lived, as the Bulldogs faced a nine-game road trip that came with eight losses during the span. The slump was broken by a win against McKendree University (IL) at the Gary Troyer Memorial Tournament. After struggling to gain traction in the first two games of the tournament, Redlands dug deep to complete an exciting 6-5 comeback, thanks in part to junior goalkeeper Kelly Grosswendt's (Newbury Park, CA) 11 stops. Trailing 1-4 after the first period, the Maroon and Gray cut the deficit to 3-5 by halftime. The third quarter saw a defensive battle, with neither team able to get on the board. First-year attacker Katelynn Holloman (Wildomar, CA) ended the drought with a goal early in the final frame. Less than a minute later, Na found the back of the net to finally square the score at 5-5. As the game clock continued to wind down, Jenkins launched one past the defense to complete the comeback. The goal proved to be the game-winner, cementing a 6-5 victory in exciting fashion.
On March 10, the Bulldogs returned home to the Thompson Aquatic Center to take on Caltech with plenty of motivation. The Maroon and Gray used 11 different scorers, including five first-timers, en route to a 16-1 throttling over the Beavers. Kahahawai imposed her will early with back-to-back goals, which set the tone for a 5-0 lead after a quarter of action. The scoring poured into the second, as sophomore attacker Marie Sandstorm (Rhinelander, WI) and first-year attacker August Key (Albuquerque, NM) registered their first career goals, which put the Bulldogs up by a score of 9-0. Although the Beavers notched one early in the third quarter, they did not have enough to stop the proficient Bulldogs. By the final whistle, first-year defenders Jena Suzuki (Wailuku, HI) and Kalli Vellis (Burlingame, CA) also scored for the first time in their careers. In addition, first-year attacker Kayla Takakura (Wailuku, HI) found the back of the net twice for the inaugural goals of her career. Furthermore, junior attacker Breanna O'Dea (Rowland Heights, CA) and sophomore attacker Courtney Gray (Yucaipa, CA) each scored once.
Following a non-conference loss to Cal Baptist University, Redlands was right back at the TAC in SCIAC action against Chapman. The Bulldogs came out strong with a 2-0 lead after five minutes in the first. Junior goalkeeper Allison Totzke (San Bernardino, CA) impressed with a dominating effort that included two stealthy steals. After building up a 4-1 advantage, the Panthers began to make a push, scoring a pair of goals to cut the deficit to one heading into halftime. In the midst of a tough defensive skirmish in the third, Jenkins completed her hat trick in the final minute to cushion the home team's lead to 5-3. However, Chapman refused to go away and worked to tie the game with 2:23 left on the clock. With regulation ticking down, Grosswendt made a huge stop to give her team another possession. The Bulldogs capitalized on her effort and put themselves in a solid position to take over the game. Sure enough, first-year attacker Kelly Klish (Glenview, IL) dished it to Kahahawai, who then rose out of the water and blasted it right past the Chapman goalkeeper for the game-winning goal in the 6-5 decision. Jenkins led the game with three goals and an assist, while Grosswendt entered the game to make four saves in the final 16 minutes of action.
The Bulldogs halted a two-game skid by returning to the win column against Macalester College (MN) in the evening match of a doubleheader. Redlands used a well-balanced scoring attack to build a 3-0 lead on the back of Kahahawai with a goal and an assist. However, the tide quickly changed, as Macalester stormed back to take a 4-3 lead midway through the second stanza. After entering the third quarter in a tie, the Bulldogs regained their energy with eight, second-half goals. Among the scoring highlights, Draves converted a nice 6-on-5 opportunity with 5:56 left in the third quarter, before senior defender Stefanie Goldbach (Huntington Beach, CA) converted a sweet Walker pass for the goal. The Maroon and Gray's defense did its job as well, limiting Macalester to just three in the second half, to cruise to the 13-8 decision. Jenkins provided a lucrative game with a season-high four goals. Totkze and Grosswendt split time in the cage and came away with six and three saves, respectively.
After slipping to Cal State East Bay, Redlands faced Occidental with hopes of sweeping the Tigers. With determination and depth, the Bulldogs emerged as victors once again, this time by a score of 15-11. Once Na and Kahahawai put up the first goals of the game, the Maroon and Gray never looked back. The Bulldogs' strongest period came in the second stanza when they converted five goals from five different players. Na had her hand in four of them with one goal and three assists, as Redlands entered the final frame with an 8-5 advantage. Oxy cut the deficit to one on back-to-back scores, but Redlands upped the ante with a 4-3 run in the final eight minutes to cement the victory.
In early April, the Bulldogs ended a four-game slip with a dominating 13-4 win over the Caltech Beavers for the season sweep. Redlands had the strongest period of the season with a total of six goals in the first frame. Kahahawai got things going with the first goal, while Holloman finished the quarter with two. Suzuki and junior defender Carmen Gardner (South San Francisco, CA) each helped with a goal and an assist. After maintaining the lead throughout, Redlands put together another five-goal outburst to nullify any idea of a comeback. In a quality display, junior attacker Wendy McAleer (Simi Valley, CA) provided three assists by the final whistle. Totzke and Grosswendt each played strong roles in the cage with 10 saves between the two.
After suffering a few conference losses, the Bulldogs took to the road for the final game of the season against Chapman. The Panthers jumped out to a 3-1 lead at the start of the third, but a Bulldog comeback was in the works, starting with a goal from sophomore attacker Olivia Allen (Santa Monica, CA) to cut the deficit to one. After six minutes of scoreless play in the fourth, Na found the back of the net for the 4-4 equalizer, which eventually sent the game into overtime. It looked as if the teams were headed into another extra frame when Kahahawai found a way to fire one past the Panther goalkeeper to put Redlands up, 5-4, in the final seconds. The Bulldogs held off the Panthers to take the overtime win and end the season on a positive and promising note. Totzke and Grosswendt played huge parts in the victory with five and seven saves respectively, along with several critical steals by both goalies.
Following the season, it was announced that Kahahawai and Jenkins represented the Maroon and Gray on the ACWPC Division III All-America Team. Kahahawai became a first-time selection as a member of the Second Team. While constantly under defensive pressure, she led the Bulldogs with 32 goals. Jenkins made the seamless move from goalkeeper to field player in her third season and impressed as the team's leading point-scorer with 38, which came off of 29 goals and nine assists.
The duo also landed on the All-SCIAC teams, with Kahahawai gaining a spot on the Second Team and Jenkins being named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.
Academically, the squad shined with 12 individual awards and one team honor from the ACWPC as well.
The Bulldog women's water polo team proved that it has the foundation in place for a successful future in the SCIAC. After a challenging season that inspired individual growth, the Maroon and Gray strives to build off of this momentum and work its way to the upper echelon of the conference.