CMS Women's Water Polo Closes Out Fresno State Invitational with Defeat to Host Bulldogs

FRESNO, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team finished off its trip to the Fresno State Invitational with a 16-7 defeat to the tournament hosts on Sunday.

With the loss, CMS now stands at 2-5 on the season, after a 1-3 tournament, which featured a 12-9 win over Biola on Friday, losses to Fresno Pacific (10-6) and in the last second to Azusa Pacific (9-8) on Saturday, followed by the loss to Bulldogs on Sunday. 

Cooper McKenna had two goals against Fresno State on Sunday, while Olivia Cairns, Christina Kulick, Fiona Murphy, Caitlyn Muñoz and Isabel Del Villar each added one. Fresno State had a 5-0 run in the second quarter to turn a 3-2 lead after the first into a 10-3 advantage at halfime. 

On Saturday, CMS had a spirited comeback from a 6-2 halftime deficit against Azusa Pacific, but came up just short in a 9-8 defeat. The Athenas scored six straight goals to pull ahead 8-6 with 3:04 left on a goal from Murphy. Grace Clark started the run, which was followed by two goals from Cooper McKenna sandwiched between two from Kulick. 

However, the Cougars responded with two goals 31 seconds apart to tie it, and Maritza Ochoa scored on a 6-on-5 with just one second left to give Azusa Pacific the dramatic win. 

Against Fresno Pacific, CMS fell into a 5-1 hole after the first and never could generate momentum for a comeback. Elise Power had two goals, while Clark, Cairns, McKenna and Mia Adsen each had one. 

CMS will have two weeks off before returning to action when it co-hosts the Claremont Convergence, taking on Augustana, Iona, Pacific and USC.