REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Water Polo team (6-14, 5-3) won their third consecutive game as they defeated Chapman University 9-6 at the Thompson Aquatic Center (TAC) Wednesday evening.
It was a very slow start offensively for the Bulldogs as they did not get on the board until Breanna Bailey (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) made it a one-goal game, 2-1, with 4:19 on the clock in the second quarter.
Trailing by two, 3-1, the Bulldogs put up three unanswered across the final 3:48 of the first half taking a 4-3 lead into the break. Kaitlynn Pierceall (Beaumont, CA), Danielle Cary (Riverside, CA), and Emma Parker (Yucaipa, CA) all scored as the go-ahead finish from Parker came with just nine seconds on the clock.
Redlands maintained their momentum in the third as they won the period 2-1 with Hannah Long (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) and Pierceall each finding the back of the net. Katrina Nielsen (Houston, TX) and Courtney Sawin (Tacoma, WA) picked up assists in the quarter as the Bulldogs took a 6-4 lead into the final eight minutes.
In the first minute of the fourth each team scored with Parker adding her second for the game getting setup by Sofia Portello (Sonoma, CA) at the 7:23 mark.
Cary and Nielsen put the game away with another two tallies as the lead stretch to four, 9-5, with 4:36 on the clock as they would pull out the 9-6 win.
Tori Zielinski (Sunnyvale, CA) and the defense held the Panthers to a .194 shooting percentage while not allowing a single goal on the eight powerplay opportunities for Chapman. Zielinski, the now four time Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Defensive Athlete of the Week, made 15 saves and had two steals.
The Bulldogs will travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps this Saturday, April 8 at 11:00 a.m. as they look to continue their move up the standings as they are currently tied for third in the SCIAC with La Verne and Cal Lutheran.
