CMS Women's Water Polo Clamps Down on Defense for 8-3 Road Win over Redlands

REDLANDS, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team bounced back from a tight 11-8 loss to No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer yesterday to take an 8-3 road win over Redlands on Sunday afternoon at the Thompson Aquatics Center.

With the win, CMS improves to 7-5 overall on the season and 3-1 in the SCIAC, solidifying its hold on one of the top four spots in the league standings, which would result in a trip to the SCIAC Tournament. 

The Athenas won with defense, holding the Bulldogs to only one goal over the game's first 22 minutes as they built a 6-1 lead. Redlands was able to pull within 7-3 at the end of the third, but couldn't score again, as the Athenas scored the only goal in the fourth, from Emma Brezoczky, to finish off the 8-3 win. 

Mia Adsen and Natalie Clark each had two goals for the Athenas, while Cooper McKenna, Emily McElroy and Dara Schoolcraft each had one, along with Brezoczky. Adsen had her two goals back-to-back in the third quarter to turn a 4-1 halftime lead into a commanding 6-1 advantage. 

Jessica Salaz had four first-half saves for CMS, allowing just one goal, and Ruth Efe finished off the win by allowing only two goals over the final 16 minutes. 

CMS will be back in action on Wednesday when it takes on Whittier for a 7 p.m. contest at Axelrood Pool in a big battle between two teams tied for second in the SCIAC. The Athenas edged Whittier in a non-league game at the Redlands Invitational on a goal from Adsen with two seconds left.