Fourth quarter struggles hurt CMS in SCIAC finals loss to Pomona-Pitzer

WHITTIER, Calif. – In a low-scoring match with the SCIAC championship on the line, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team came up short in a 7-4 loss to Pomona-Pitzer in the finals of the SCIAC Women's Water Polo Championships Sunday at Whittier's Slade Aquatics Center. The Athenas' season comes to a close with a 17-13 record after its second loss to the Sagehens in just over a week.

Pomona-Pitzer outscored CMS 5-2 in the second half and turned a 2-2 match at halftime into the 7-4 win. All even 3-3 at the end of the third quarter, Pomona-Pitzer didn't get its first lead of the match until the 7:07 mark of the fourth quarter on a goal by Mahalia Prater-Fahey. The goal by Prater-Fahey sparked a 4-0 run for the Sagehens which pushed their lead to 7-3 with 1:52 left in the match.

CMS didn't get its first score of the fourth quarter until junior driver Rose Koper put the ball in the net with under a minute remaining.

In the first half, CMS led 1-0 in the first quarter when freshman utility Shannon Golden scored with 2:20 on the clock in the first quarter. The teams traded scores in the first half and went into halftime all even at 2-2.

Senior utility Candace Filippelli led CMS with two of the team's four scores while Pomona-Pitzer had three players with two goals.

To reach the SCIAC Championships first place match, CMS defeated Whittier 9-7 on Saturday in the semifinals.