Regals Top Athenas in Low-Scoring SCIAC Match

CLAREMONT, Calif. – In a low-scoring, defensive battle the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team fell to the Cal Lutheran Regals by an 8-4 final in Axelrood Pool on Saturday morning. Four different Athenas scored in the game for CMS and Cal Lu's Victoria Meek led all scorers with three goals in the game.

After a combined three goals in the first two minutes of the game, the Regals held an early 2-1 lead. Meek started the scoring for the Regals with a pair of goals to give Cal Lu a 2-0 advantage. Anna Fry (HMC) tallied for CMS will 6:17 remaining in the first period to make it a 2-1 game before the two teams combined for a 14-minute scoring drought to end the half.

Over the final six minutes and change of the first period and the entire second period, CMS and Cal Lu combined for their fair share of chances, but no goals. The two teams combined to hit four posts in the second period, but the score remained 2-1 through the half.

The Regals started the second-half with three-straight goals in the first four minutes of the third period to take a 5-1 lead. Aracelia Aldrete (CMC) snapped the streak with a goal six minutes into the period, but Cal Lu responded with the final goal of the third period and the first of the fourth period to take a 7-2 lead.

CMS scored two of the final three goals of the game with tallies by Jessica Gaffney (CMC) and Amelia Ayala (CMC) in the final two minutes of the contest, but it was not enough as the Regals claimed the 8-4 victory.

CMS actually outshot the Regals in the game with 28 attempts against just 16 for Cal Lu, but the Regals shot 50.0% (8-16) while the Athenas made just 14.3% of their shots (4-28).

With the loss, the Athenas fall to 12-6 on the season (5-2 in the SCIAC) and will face a pair of tough tests tomorrow when they square off with Hartwick (10:00 a.m.) and Brown (3:00 p.m.) in Axelrood Pool.