CMS Women's Water Polo Captures 14-6 Win over Redlands

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Sophomore goalie Natalie Stearns scored as many goals as she allowed in the first half (one), as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team jumped out to an 11-1 halftime lead and went on to capture a 14-6 win over Redlands on Saturday at Axelrood Pool.

With the win, CMS moves to 14-8 on the season and improves its SCIAC record to 6-1 with five games left in the regular season. 

Stearns ended the half with a goal, as she took the ball in the defensive end with the shot clock off, and swam it forward as the final seconds ticked off, creating a 7-on-6 advantage in the offensive end. Just before the horn sounded, she let fly with a shot that found the net to give CMS an 11-1 lead going into the break, capping off a half in which she had six saves and allowed just the one goal. 

CMS led 7-1 at the end of the first quarter, and outscored Redlands 4-0 in the second quarter. The Athenas led by as many as 11 goals at 14-3, before the Bulldogs closed out on a 3-0 run. 

CMS had 11 different players score goals, including Stearns, with Grace Clark, Isabel Del Villar and Cooper McKenna each netting two. Olivia Cairns, Mia Adsen, Fiona Murphy, Dara Schoolcraft, Elise Power, Valerie Wraith and Caitlin Muñoz all found the net as well, with Wraith adding a team-high two assists, and Muñoz leading CMS with three steals. 

The Athenas will be back in action on Wednesday when it hosts La Verne for a 7 p.m. contest.