U of R Women's Water Polo drops physical match-up with Regals 8-6

Image Credit: Adrian Williams
Image Credit: Adrian Williams
Posted: Apr 12, 2023

REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Water Polo team (7-16, 6-5 SCIAC) fell 8-6 in a physical contest with California Lutheran University (CLU) Wednesday evening inside the Thompson Aquatic Center (TAC).

Another slow start for the Bulldogs offensively proved the difference as they trailed the Regals 5-2 at the break.  

Despite the lack of offense early, the Bulldogs did score the game's first goal, an Emma Parker (Yucaipa, CA) connection on UR's opening possession. That goal would be the lone tally for the Maroon and Grey until there were only :26 seconds left in the half when Parker scored again to make it a two-goal deficit. The late Parker score was not the final score of the half as the Regals came down to score with :13 seconds remaining to take a 5-2 advantage into the break.  

At the 5:47 mark of the third Katrina Nielsen (Houston, TX) got onto the scorers' sheet as Danielle Cary (Riverside, CA) picked up the assist. Less than a minute later Parker netted her third of the game, off another Cary feed, and brought the Bulldogs within one, 5-4, for the first time since the first quarter.

The Bulldogs' strong defense lasted until a minute and a half into the fourth when the Regals scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner at the 7:16 mark, to make it a three-goal game.  

A minute after falling behind by three, Sofia Portello (Sonoma, CA) was able to pull one back. The dagger for the Bulldogs came :20 seconds after Portello had regained momentum as the deficit returned to three, 8-5, with 5:06 on the clock. A late Nielsen goal with 2:52 left was not enough as the Bulldogs lost the season series to the Regals.

The Bulldogs held advantages in a couple of key team categories, shots (33-24) and powerplay opportunities (6-4), but they allowed the Regals to convert on eight of their 24 attempts for a .333 shooting percentage in comparison to their .182 shooting percentage. In goal Tori Zielinski (Sunnyvale, CA) posted another great performance with 12 saves, a .600 save percentage, and a game-high four steals.

Redlands will have a huge matchup with the University of La Verne next Wednesday, April 19 at 7:00 p.m. inside the TAC as they currently sit in fifth place (the first finishing position not to make the SCIAC Tournament) sitting 0.10 percentage points behind the fourth place Leopards.