CLAREMONT, Calif. — It was another successful season for California Lutheran University women's water polo as they advanced to their 15th Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament appearance, the most of any team in the conference. It was a tough task as the No. 4 Regals fell to No. 1 Pomona-Pitzer 11-5 on Saturday morning.
The Regals have been in every conference tournament since its inception in 2007. The Sagehens have the second-most appearances with 14.
It was a defensive game to start, and you'd expect nothing else from the top defenses in the nation. The Regals held 17 opponent to 10 points or less this season and had that same mindset going into the game with the Sagehens.
Lexi Rond and Jacsen Donohue both scored two goals to lead the Regals and Bethany Metcalfe added one more. Donohue and Jess Diaz each added an assist and Kaitlin Gardhouse had five drawn ejections to put the offense in good situations.
Izzy De Souza was in goal and the defense put up a fight against a potent Sagehens offense. She recorded 10 saves and added two steals. Diaz led the defense with three steals, Rond had two more and Gardhouse tallied two field blocks.
It was the final game for the graduating class of Kemi Dijkstra, Diaz, Gardhouse, Rachel Ray and Rond. Dijkstra added two drawn ejections while Ray recorded one steal.
Cal Lutheran found themselves in an early hole, and were shutout in the first period, going down 4-0. The Regals scored their first point of the game as Rond found the back of the net with 5:05 to go in the second quarter. Pomona-Pitzer answered with one goal in the second, as the defenses prevailed, and the score was 5-1 at the break.
The Sagehens took control of the game and opened with three goals to start the third. Rond stopped the scoring run with 35 seconds left in the third. The Regals cut the lead in half as they opened the fourth with two goals. Donohue found the back of the net twice. Cal Lutheran looked to make their move with six minutes remaining. Metcalfe scored the final goal for the Regals, but it was enough to overtake the top seed.
Cal Lutheran finished the season 16-10 overall and were 9-5 in conference, going out in the SCIAC Tournament..
Box Score: PP 11, CLU 5
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
