The University of Redlands women's water polo team took on the competition at day two of the 2017 Gary Troyer Memorial Tournament in Claremont on Saturday, earning a 14-6 win over Penn State Behrend before suffering a tough 6-8 loss to St. Francis University (PA).
Against PSU-Behrend, the Bulldogs came out firing to earn a 5-1 lead through the first period. Freshman attack player Olivia Allen (Santa Monica, CA) uncorked back-to-back goals in the first two minutes of action, while sophomore utility player Rachel Nelson (San Juan Capistrano, CA), sophomore center Kolby Kahahawai (Kailua, HI), and junior attack player MaryKate Hunter (Redlands, CA) each found the back of the net once.
After a fairly even second quarter that resulted in a 7-3 advantage at the midway point of the game, Redlands increased its offensive pressure with a 3-1 run in the third frame. Sophomore attack player Sami Walker (Taylorsville, UT) got things started in this stanza, before Allen and Kahahawai each notched another netter for the Maroon and Gray.
The fourth period saw the Bulldogs extend their lead with a four-goal effort that included a new mix of goal-scorers, as sophomore center Carmen Gardner (South San Francisco, CA), junior attack player Alana Flaherty (Hilo, HI), and junior attack player Michelle Na (Mercer Island, WA) each scored.
Defensive stats were not available at the time of posting.
In the Maroon and Gray's final game of the tournament, the Bulldogs battled through a tight first quarter that resulted in a 2-all tie after goals by Allen and Kahahawai.
Redlands put together a strong second stanza to nab a slight 4-2 advantage at the midway point of the game. Kahahawai continued her success on offense, while senior defender Chum Alvarez-Zakson (Santa Monica, CA) converted a pass from junior defender Stefanie Goldbach (Huntington Beach, CA) for the second score of the period.
Another tight quarter took place in the third, with each team notching just one goal, as Nelson fired one past the SFU goalkeeper for the Maroon and Gray.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs saw their lead slip away in the fourth frame, as the opponents unleashed a 5-1 run to close out the game. Na registered Redlands' final netter of the contest with 53 seconds left on the clock.
Sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Grosswendt (Newbury Park, CA) racked up five saves and one steal in a valiant effort between the pipes.
Redlands continues a busy stretch of non-conference action by hosting a doubleheader on Sunday, March 6, at the Thompson Aquatic Center. The Bulldogs take on Sonoma State University at 11 a.m., followed by a 1 p.m. contest against McKendree University (IL).
