Regals Top Bulldogs; Defense Shines in Win

Posted: Mar 07, 2018

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. –The No. 2 ranked California Lutheran women's water polo team got back to Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action as the Regals knocked off the Redlands Bulldogs 7-4 Wednesday afternoon at the Samuelson Aquatics Center.

Cal Lutheran improved to 8-4 and 2-0 in the SCIAC, while Redlands dropped to 2-10 and 1-1. The Regals have now defeated Redlands in three straight games.

Christin Hirn and Megan Seeman led the Regals with two goals apiece. Nicole Guerriero, Kristi McGee and Sam Wulfestieg each added one. McGee tallied four drawn ejections, while Guerriero and Hirn both had two more.

Defensively, McGee had three steals. Nikki Roed, Mackenzie Thomas and Seeman all had two. Jayci Burrell added one more.

CLU goalkeeper Bailey Meyer was in front of the cage and made 10 saves. Meyer and the Regals defense shutout Redlands in the second and third quarters.

Redlands struck first and scored 90 seconds in. Wulfestieg answered the call for the Regals. She lofted a shot up and over the Bulldogs' goalkeeper as she tied the score. Seeman scored next for the CLU. She received a great pass from Guerriero and put the ball in the back of the net.

Hirn made it 3-1 with the assist from Thomas. Redlands scored with a minute left as the Regals had the slight edge at the end of the first. Defense was a big part of the second quarter as neither team scored a goal. The Regals had a 3-2 lead at halftime. Meyer had six saves at the break.

The Violet and Gold got the first goal of the second half as Hirn found the back of the net on a power play. With 4:08 left in the third, McGee found a wide open Guerriero. She made it 5-2 as she fired a shot past the goalkeeper. CLU got another goal with 28 seconds left in the third as McGee added a goal. Mardell Ramirez had the assist.

Redlands got things going in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs scored with 6:30 left in the game and cut the lead to 6-3. Seeman answered right back for the Regals and the lead was 7-3. With 1:55 left in the game, Redlands scored to make it 7-4. That was as close as the Bulldogs would get as the Regals won the game.

CLU is back in the pool Thursday as the Regals welcome St. Francis (Penn.) to the Samuelson Aquatics Center for a match at 4 p.m.