REDLANDS, Calif. – It was a tale of two halves between the No. 8 ranked University of Redlands Women's Water Polo team (4-19, 3-7 SCIAC) and No. 3 Chapman University.  The Panthers led 8-3 at the half but the Bulldogs outscored them 8-4 in the second  their but would come up short 12-11 Monday evening at the Thompson Aquatic Center (TAC).

In the first twelve minutes it was all Chapman as they held a 7-1 lead with the lone Redlands goal coming from Emma Parker (Yucaipa, CA) who was assisted by Kaitlynn Pierceall (Beaumont, CA) in the first period.  

With 3:16 left in the half Parker got her second. Then :40 seconds later Sofia Portello (Sonoma, CA) found Pierceall for the Bulldogs' third goal as they drew within four, 7-3. The Panthers would score the final goal of the half as it was 8-3 after 16 minutes.

The Bulldogs started the third on fire as they scored three times in the opening 3:14 pulling within two, 8-6. The goals came from Pierceall who was assisted by Portello, Parker netted her hat trick off a Pierceall assist, and then Courtney Sawin (Tacoma, WA) found the back of the net for the first time with 4:46 on the clock.

The Panthers looked like they might reclaim the momentum with back-to-back goals off powerplays as they extended their lead back to four, 10-6, but Parker and Lucia Notaro (Thousand Oaks, CA) each scored over the next minute as it was a two-goal game once again.

After conceding the final goal of the quarter for the third time, Redlands opened the fourth on another 3-0 run, this time it was enough to tie the game for the first time since it was 0-0.

Redlands' defense also did its job, holding Chapman scoreless for eight minutes from the end of the third to the 1:01 mark of the fourth. Though, with a minute left, the Panthers were able to respond to the Bulldog goal only :29 seconds prior as they retook the lead, 12-11.

Head coach Chris Gielen took a full timeout to regroup the team, but shortly after play resumed, the Bulldogs would turn it over as the Panthers converged with a double team taking possession right back.

With the possession Chapman took a full timeout to draw up a play to waste :30 seconds of the final :43 seconds. That did not work, however, as they failed to put the ball into play after the whistle and turned it over.

On the subsequent possession, Katelyn Dwelley (Wildomar, CA) would get a good look from the right side of the goal, but her shot skipped off the water and hit the far post and rebounded out.

The Panthers took another timeout to draw up another play to use up the final :15 seconds, which they did as they won the game by a single goal after leading by six in the middle of the second frame.  

It was a very competitive game stat wise. Chapman held the shot advantage 31-30 and both teams were called for seven exclusions.  The Panthers shot .387, while the Bulldogs shot .367. The one separating stat was the powerplays where the Panthers scored on 5-of-7 opportunities, while the Bulldogs finished 0-for-7.

Parker finished with five goals, one assist, one steal, and three drawn exclusions. Pierceall and Notaro each had two goals. Pierceall added three assists and three steals. Notaro had one assist and two drawn exclusions and in goal Evelyn Teeter (Westminster, CA) made 12 saves and had a steal.

This was Redlands' final home game of 2024 as they finish the season on the road at Whittier College this Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00pm and then at California Institute of Technology on Saturday, April 13 beginning at 11:00am.