Athenas Water Polo Splits on First Day of Convergence

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Cooper McKenna had four goals, including the tiebreaking penalty shot with 1:39 to play, and Grace Clark added three, all in the fourth quarter, as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team defeated CSU Fullerton 12-10 in the second of two games at the annual Claremont Convergence on Friday at Axelrood Pool.

CMS also fell 18-4 to traditional Division I power USC in the first game of the day, as it moves to 6-6 on the year. 

The CSU Fullerton contest was remarkably close, as the lead was never more than two goals either way. The Titans went ahead by two for the only time at 8-6 with 2:47 left in the third, but Mia Adsen scored the final goal of the third, and Clark scored the first goal of the fourth, to tie the score 8-8. 

After the Titans went back ahead, Clark scored her second of the fourth quarter, to even it at 9-9 and Elise Power gave the Athenas a 10-9 lead with 4:47 to go. CSU Fullerton knotted it up again at 10-10 with 4:24 to go, but CMS netted the final two to come away with the win. 

The score was 2-2 after the first quarter, with McKenna and Ka'imi Duncklee scoring for the Athenas. McKenna scored twice more in the second quarter, and Valerie Wraith added one to make it 5-5 going into halftime. Isabel DelVillar added a goal in the third. 

McKenna added two assists with her four goals, and Clark added three drawn exclusions. Natalie Stearns had four saves in the second half to get the win in goal. 

The opening game saw USC pull away for an 18-4 win, but not before McKenna and Wraith scored back-to-back goals early to give CMS a 2-1 lead. Caitlin Muñoz added a third-quarter goal, and Fiona Murphy added one in the fourth. 

The second day of the Claremont Convergence on Saturday will see CMS battle Santa Clara at 11:45, and close out with CSU Monterey Bay at 4:45 p.m.