The top-ranked University of Redlands women's water polo team jumped into the 2012 campaign with a pair of non-conference victories on Sunday during the Redlands Mini Tournament No. 1 at the Thompson Aquatic Center. The Bulldogs opened the event with a 9-5 showing over Whittier College and then defeated the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernardino by a score of 11-3.
Against the Poets, Redlands surged out to a 2-0 lead and never relinquished control. With the Bulldogs up by a score of 6-2 after three periods, the teams uncorked three goals apiece in the fourth, resulting in the 9-5 final tally.
Junior driver Moana Tuipulotu (Lahaina, HI) led the Maroon and Gray's charge with her three-goal effort. Senior centers Jaime Nippert (Gresham, OR) and Joy Corona (Lake Bluff, IL) each chipped in two scores, while freshman center-defender Haley Hollinrake (Redlands, CA) and senior driver Casey Sripramong (Glendale, CA) added one apiece. Sripramong's score was the eventual game-winner late in the third stanza.
Sophomore goalkeeper Julie Lupfer (San Diego, CA) held down the Bulldog cage with 12 saves, before freshman goalkeeper Grace Trilla (Western Springs, IL) preserved the win with three stops of her own.
After a back-and-forth start to the second game, Redlands rattled off three unanswered goals to take the lead at 4-1. From here the Bulldogs controlled the pace of play and captured the eight-goal win.
The Maroon and Gray unleashed 11 goals in its second outing of the day, with six different players finding the back of the net. Nippert fired off five scores to lead the Bulldogs, while Corona backed her with two, including the eventual game-winner. Freshman center-defender Hannah Ongman (Flossmoor, IL), freshman driver Christina Almazan (Anaheim, CA), Tuipulotu, and Hollinrake provided one goal each.
Once again, Lupfer and Trilla teamed up to protect the Redlands goal, supplying seven and five saves, respectively.
In other action, Whittier prevailed over CSUSB by a score of 15-10. Katrina Thoreson led the Poets with four goals.
Redlands (2-0) hosts Hartwick College (NY) in a non-conference bout at the Thompson Aquatic Center on Saturday at 7 p.m.
