REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands women's water polo team (0-1) scored four goals in the opening quarter but could not keep up with the Keydets of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Friday evening at the Thompson Aquatic Center (TAC) as they dropped their season opener 18-8.

Alyssa Sorrell scored the Bulldogs first goal of 2026 and Aubrey Stevenson found Lucia Notaro for their first lead at the 5:06 mark.

Following four unanswered goals by VMI, Redlands got goals from Sorrell and Notaro, with Teagan May picking up an assist, to keep within two of the Keydets after eight minutes of action.

After four plus minutes of play in the second, the Bulldogs found themselves trailing by four, 8-4, but Sorrell scored her third of the game to cut the deficit to three with 3:35 to play.

After conceding the final two goals of the first half and the first two of the second, Redlands got a fourth goal from Sorrell as Katie Raber picked up her first assist as a Bulldog.

In the fourth quarter Raber found Marlie Potocki for her first of the season before Notaro scored in the final minute as the Bulldogs lost the matchup with the division I Keydets.

Sorrell scored four goals and had two drawn exclusions. Notaro drew a game-high four exclusions and scored three times. Kiera Federline had a steal and two drawn exclusions. In goal Natalie Abril had six saves and a steal in the first half while Sofia Mather had two saves in the second.

Redlands returns to action on February 6-7 when they host the two-day Och Tamale Invite where they play four total games. The first two are against Fresno Pacific University (FPU) and Azusa Pacific University (APU) at 12 p.m. (noon) and 6 p.m. on the sixth.