Feb. 14, 2010
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The Santa Clara women's water polo team split the final day of competition at the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunner Invitational and went 3-1 overall, defeating Occidental College 14-7 in the morning before losing another heartbreaker to Cal State East Bay 9-8 in the afternoon.
In the morning game, the Broncos cruised to a 14-7 victory over Occidental College. Senior Jenny Knutson came alive for three goals while junior Taylor Harkins scored one to help Santa Clara take a 4-0 lead.
In the second quarter, the Broncos extended its lead to 7-0 getting goals from senior Meg Zimmerman, sophomore Laura Espinosa and Harkins. Harkins' goal came in the form of a five-meter penalty shot. Junior Goalie Wren White made two saves in the first half before making way for freshman Stephanie Clements at the beginning of the third quarter.
Santa Clara went up nine goals before the Tigers were able to get one into the cage, getting the goal with 2:35 left in the third. Occidental also scored on a five-meter penalty shot with 12 seconds to go in the quarter. Bronco goals in the third came from Harkins, Espinosa, and junior Amanda Miller.
Clements was replaced by fellow rookie goalie Kathleen Servatius following the third Tiger goal at the 5:57 mark of the final quarter as Santa Clara was up 13-3 following goals from Miller, senior Rochelle Stowe, and freshman Alison Norris. Servatius allowed four goals, while Miller capped the game with her third goal; team's 14th, with 1:10 to play.
Santa Clara jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first quarter and a 7-3 lead by the end of the half against Cal State East Bay.
The Pioneers’ only goal in the opening eight-minutes came courtesy of a five-meter penalty shot after Stowe, Zimmerman, and Knutson scored. Espinosa and junior transfer Whitney Allen made it 5-1 before CSUEB had an answer. Then sophomore Marina Allen got in on the scoring action while Stowe put away her second of the game.
In the second half, the Bronco offense went dry, producing just one goal (a five-meter penalty shot from Knutson) at 5:49 in the third, while the Pioneers went on a five-goal tear. CSUEB’s Jenna Casady scored the game-tying goal with 2:26 to play, and then scored the winner at 1:04 to place Santa Clara on its heels. The Broncos couldn’t recover, ceding its fifth game of the season and second this year to the Pioneers. White made six saves in the cage.
Santa Clara, now 6-5 overall, will next be in the pool Feb. 21 at noon at Pacific.
