The University of Redlands women's water polo team never trailed in a crucial triumph over Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Wednesday evening, winning by a final score of 7-6. The victory marks the first time the Bulldogs have defeated the Sagehens in six games, dating back to January 30, 2011.
Redlands scored the contest's opening goal just over a minute into the first period when senior driver Moana Tuipulotu (Lahaina, HI) found the back of the net. The two sides traded goals over the next few minutes, and Pomona-Pitzer tied the game at 2-2 with 4:36 remaining in the opening stanza.
The Maroon and Gray defense then locked down for the next 17:50, not allowing Pomona-Pitzer to score until late in the third period. During that span, the Bulldogs garnered scores from junior center Jaci Cochrane (San Bernardino, CA), freshman utility player Annie Kinney (Balboa, CA) and a pair from senior driver Jill Stein (Palm Desert, CA) to give the Maroon and Gray a four-goal advantage.
Three-straight scores from the Sagehens cut the Bulldog lead to just one, but Redlands sophomore center-defender Haley Hollinrake (Redlands, CA) notched an important insurance goal for the Bulldogs with 2:59 left in regulation to put the U of R up by two.
The Bulldogs then played solid defense over the final few minutes, only allowing Pomona-Pitzer to pull one back with eight seconds remaining on the clock, proving to be the last score of the contest.
With the win, the Bulldogs jump into third place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings with five games remaining before the SCIAC Championship Tournament.
The very diverse set of scorers for Redlands also included sophomore center-defender Deandra Van Houten (Huntington Beach, CA), who found the back of the net midway through the first stanza.
In the cage, U of R junior goalkeeper Julie Lupfer (San Diego, CA) played phenomenal all game long, tallying 12 saves in all, including five in the final frame.
Redlands (9-15, 2-1 SCIAC) returns to action on Friday when it hosts the University of La Verne at the Thompson Aquatic Center in another conference contest. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
