PASADENA, Calif. — It was an impressive showing for the Cal Lutheran women's water polo team as the Regals routed the Caltech Beavers 18-2 on Wednesday night. It is the highest-scoring output of the year for the Regals.
The game was the first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest for both teams. The No. 2 team in the nation showed off all facets of its game as Cal Lutheran controlled from start to finish. CLU improved to 6-5 on the year while the Beavers dropped to 0-1.
Eleven Regals scored and 10 recorded an assist as the offense was on fire all game long. Freshman Susanna Zdolsek led the Violet and Gold with a hat trick and freshman Kaitlin Garrett, junior Christin Hirn, freshman Rachel Ray, freshman Lexi Rond and freshman Jamie Sanders all added two. Freshman Bri Bulkeley, sophomore Taylor Campbell, freshman Kaitlin Gardhouse, junior Victoria Rose Meek and junior Mackenzie Thomas all contributed one.
CLU moved the ball around well as senior Nicole Guerriero recorded a game-high four assists. Rond dished out two assists and eight more Regals recorded one. The offense was flowing and continued to be successful as the Regals were 8-of-10 on drawn ejections. Rond showed off an all-around game and tallied three while Bulkeley, Garrett and Guerriero both had two.
The defense fed off the offense and vice versa. Freshman Kaitlin Moreno got her first collegiate start in goal and recorded seven saves. Moreno and the defense combined for a first half shutout as Ray tallied a team-high three steals and Garrett, Meek, Rond and Megan Seeman all tallied two.
The Regals jumped out to a big lead, as they scored eight goals in the first quarter. Cal Lutheran continued its dominance in the second quarter, scoring six more points, and had a 14-0 lead at the half. CLU cruised the rest of the way, adding two goals in the third and fourth quarter, and won the game easily 18-2.
Cal Lutheran will get a final non-conference test before jumping right back into SCIAC play. The Regals are at the Convergence Tournament Friday in Pomona, Calif., and take on Cal St. Monterey Bay at 11:15 a.m. and McKendree at 4:15 p.m.
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director