CMS Wins on Second Straight Buzzer-Beater, Defeats Cal Lutheran 8-7 in SCIAC Opener

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Cooper McKenna scored the game-winning goal with just one second left as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team defeated Cal Lutheran 8-7 on Wednesday in the SCIAC opener for both teams at Axelrood Pool.

Christina Kulick led CMS with four goals, including two in a row to tie it in the fourth quarter after Cal Lutheran went ahead 7-5. With the win, the Athenas improve to 3-2 on the year and 1-0 in the SCIAC, with two non-conference wins over SCIAC teams (Occidental, Whittier) as well. 

In fact, one of those two wins came on Saturday at the Redlands Bulldog Invitational in eerily similar circumstances. In that one, CMS called a timeout in an 8-8 tie, and goalie Jessica Salaz set up Mia Adsen with the game-winner with two seconds left. 

This time around, CMS earned a stop in a 7-7 tie and called a timeout with eight seconds left. Goalie Ruth Efe triggered the restart this time, and found McKenna at the point outside the five-meter line. McKenna maneuvered to her right, and sent in a shot towards the right post that was deflected by a Cal Lutheran defender, before finding its way over the line for the game-winner with only one second left. 

CMS took a 4-2 lead at the half, as Natalie Clark scored as the shot clock expired on the final Athena possession of the second quarter. Cal Lutheran answered, though, with the first four goals of the second half to take a 6-4 lead early in the fourth. The Athenas broke the ice when drew a five-meter chance as Dara Schoolcraft got in behind the Regal defense and drew a foul, and Adsen converted to make it 6-5, before Cal Lutheran answered back to restore its two-goal lead. 

Kulick, who had two first-half goals for the Athenas, skipped in a low shot on a 6-on-5 to make it a 7-6 game, and then tied the score up with 2:22 left when she posted up in front of the cage and turned and fired for her fourth goal. 

CMS will be back in action on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game against Chapman before co-hosting the Claremont Convergence on Friday and Saturday.