McKenna, Clark Net Hat Tricks as CMS Women's Water Polo Takes Down Fresno Pacific 11-8

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Cooper McKenna had three goals and two assists and Grace Clark added her first collegiate hat trick as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team broke open a close game in the second half and took an 11-8 win over Fresno Pacific on Saturday at Axelrood Pool.

CMS breaks into the win column on the year at 1-2, after opening up the season two weeks ago with a pair of losses to nationally ranked Division I teams (No. 9 Long Beach State and No. 24 Loyola Marymount). 

CMS led 5-4 at the half against Fresno Pacific after the Sunbirds pulled within one goal with two seconds left, and the Athenas were able to take control after halftime with a 5-1 run to pull ahead 10-5. Christina Kulick started the run with a goal, which was followed with 1:27 left in the third by a goal from Grace Clark.

Tatum Benson finished the third quarter with a goal to close it to 7-5 for Fresno Pacific, but McKenna scored twice in the fourth, sandwiched around a goal from Caitlyn Muñoz, to make it a 10-5 CMS lead. Dara Schoolcraft added an Athena goal before Fresno Pacific scored the final two to make it an 11-8 final score. 

Kulick, Mia Adsen and Clark staked CMS to a 3-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. Fresno Pacific scored twice to tie it, but McKenna gave CMS the lead for good with 3:10 left in the half, and Clark added a goal with 1:26 on the second-quarter clock to stretch the lead to 5-3. 

Mason Spencer started in goal and had three saves and five steals to get the win, allowing four goals, while Natalie Stearns had four saves and two steals in the second half. Schoolcraft had four steals for the Athenas, while Kulick drew three exclusions. 

CMS will be back in action in two weeks at the Fresno State Tournament, where it will play Fresno Pacific again, as well as Biola and Azusa Pacific.