Cooper McKenna Scores Her Second SCIAC Game-Winner for CMS Women's Water Polo

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Cooper McKenna beat the shot clock with the tiebreaking goal with 1:07 left, her second tiebreaking goal late in a SCIAC win this season, as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team won its third one-goal game in dramatic fashion this season, defeating Whittier 8-7 on Wednesday evening at Axelrood Pool.

The win improves CMS to 8-5 on the season, as well as 4-1 in the SCIAC, while bumping Whittier down to 4-2. The Athenas are now in excellent position to secure a postseason bid, with just a loss to first-place Pomona-Pitzer and wins over third-place Cal Lutheran and fourth-place Whittier to their credit. 

The Athenas previously had two one-goal games decided in the final two seconds, including a previous one against Whittier, which was a non-conference game at the Redlands Invitational. In that contest, Mia Adsen scored with only two seconds left to give CMS a 9-8 win. Four days later, lightning struck twice as McKenna scored with just one second left to give the Athenas an 8-7 win over Cal Lutheran in a SCIAC contest. 

This time around the winning goal came earlier, although it was also a buzzer-beater as McKenna scored to beat the shot clock with 1:07 left. The game was tied 6-6 going into the fourth, and Whittier had the only goal of the final period, until Christina Kulick got free on a back cut and received a pass from Maddy Menard to net the tying goal with 1:58 to play. After CMS had a stop, Menard came through with another assist, finding McKenna outside the five meter line, who was able to fire a shot as the horn sounded to give CMS the lead. 

Whittier called timeout, and CMS was able to defend the initial play option, leaving the Poets with a short shot clock to work with. McKenna then got into the passing lane and came up with a big steal, which left only one second difference between the shot clock and game clock. The Athenas protected the ball throughout, and left the Poets one second to try a desperation shot, which goalkeeper Ruth Efe batted down with little trouble to end it. 

Both teams scored on their first possessions, with Kulick scoring for CMS 31 seconds in. The Athenas didn't score again until the second quarter after Whittier scored four in a row, when Ka'imi Duncklee tallied a 6-on-5 goal to cut the lead to 4-2. That started a 4-0 CMS run, as the Athenas took a 5-4 lead in the third quarter on an Emily McElroy goal, after Menard scored in the second quarter and Adsen scored to start the third. Whittier scored the next two goals, before Emma Brezoczky scored on a lob shot to tie it 6-6 after the third, setting up the dramatic finish. 

Menard had four steals to go with her goal and back-to-back assists late. Kulick was the only Athena with two goals and added an assist, while Efe had the win in goal after making two saves. 

CMS returns to action on Saturday when it travels to La Verne for another SCIAC contest.