Strong Second Half Pushes Sagehens Past Athenas

CLAREMONT, Calif. – After an evenly played first half, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team fell to the SCIAC leaders in Pomona-Pitzer 11-5. Tied 2-2 at the end of the first half, the Sagehens scored nine in the second half to come away with their eighth SCIAC win of the season.

Claire Baxter (CMC) scored three goals for the Athenas and Jessica Gaffney (CMC) and Anna Fry (HMC) each scored once.

The Sagehens got on the board first with a goal 45 seconds into the opening period. CMS wasted little time evening the score as Gaffney found the back of the net a minute later. With five minutes remaining in the quarter, Pomona-Pitzer regained the lead and closed out the period in front 2-1.

CMS took advantage of a foul two minutes into the second period. Baxter scored the equalizer on a penalty shot to even the contest at two apiece. Chandlyr Denaro (CMC) made three saves throughout the remaineder of the first half, keeping the score tied 2-2.

A Sagehen goal at the 6:27 mark in the third quarter sparked a three-goal run to give Pomona-Pitzer a 5-2 advantage. Fry scored a goal with 3:08 remaining in the period to chip away at the deficit and bring CMS within two. The Sagehens closed out the period with another tally to take a 6-3 lead into the final frame.

The fourth quarter opened with three-straight Pomona-Pitzer goals, giving them a 9-3 advantage with 5:53 to play. Baxter found a hole less than 30 seconds later to cut the deficit to five before the Sagehens scored back-to-back goals. With 1:27 remaining in the game, Baxter scored her third of the game and the contest would end in an 11-5 final.

With the loss, CMS now sits at a record of 14-9 overall and 7-3 in SCIAC play. They next travel to La Verne on Saturday to take on the Leopards at 11 a.m.