CMS Women's Water Polo Fares Well in Battles With Top DI Programs

CLAREMONT, Calif. - After picking up two dominant wins on the first day of the Claremont Convergence on Friday, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team tested itself against No. 15 Pacific and No. 2 USC on Saturday, and gave strong performances, falling just 15-9 to Pacific and 17-8 to USC on Saturday at Axelrood Pool.

CMS opened the tournament with a 21-13 win over Augustana and a 15-4 win over Iona on Friday, and took a few minutes to get settled in the battle with Pacific on Saturday as the Tigers jumped out to leads of 3-0 and 5-1. 

The Athenas started to find their stride as Caitlin Muñoz had a goal late in the first and another to start the second and make the score 6-3. Dara Schoolcraft answered a Pacific goal in the second quarter and did it again to start the third, as she finished with a hat trick for the game. 

Cooper McKenna scored with 3:46 left in the third to close the gap to 11-7, but that was as close as the Athenas could get as Pacific held on for a six-goal win. Muñoz had two goals and an assist for CMS, while Mason Spencer had four saves in the second half. 

McKenna had a hat trick against USC, while Grace Clark and Isabel Del Vilar each had two goals, and Fiona Murphy also added a tally against the No. 2 Trojans. CMS trailed 12-3 at the half, but played the second half even at 5-5

CMS will be back in action on Wednesday with a road game at La Verne at 4 p.m.