Senior day spoiled by Panthers' third straight loss
ORANGE, Calif.- In its final home game of the season, the Chapman University women's water polo team dropped a 12-4 decision to Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday at the Allred Aquatics Center. The loss extended the Panthers' losing streak to a season-high three matches with just one regular season contest remaining.
It was a bitter sweet match for three Panther seniors as utilities Mandy Sheehan and Samantha Martin and driver Samantha McLaughlin were honored pregame for their four years of contributions to the water polo program.
The Panthers fell behind early as Pomona-Pitzer's Alyssa Woodward netted the first of her game-high four goals halfway through the first quarter. Katy Schafer extended the lead, scoring two of her three goals in the final minutes to give the Sagehens a 3-0 lead heading into the break.
A 4-0 run by the Sagehens was halted by back-to-back goals from McLaughlin and freshman utility Kate Avery, shrinking the Sagehens' lead to 4-2. The Panthers' offensive outburst did not last long as Pomona-Pitzer responded with three straight goals, including two more from Woodward in the final two minutes to take a 7-2 lead into halftime.
Martin, who ranks third in Panthers' history in goals scored, netted her 171st career goal to open the scoring in the third quarter, but the Sagehens responded quickly with a goal from Chrissie Alving-Trinh just 19 seconds later. Avery netted her team-high second goal to bring the score to 9-4 with 2:31 remaining in the quarter, but the Panthers were held scoreless the rest of the match. Three fourth quarter Sagehens goals would seal the victory and deliver Chapman its third straight loss.
The Panthers will wrap up their regular season schedule on Saturday as they head to Whittier to take on the Poets. The final match against the second place team in the conference is set to take place at 11 a.m.
Box score: http://chapman.prestosports.com/sports/wwaterpolo/2012-13/files/Chapman_vs._Pomona.pdf
by Ryan Cavinder
Sports Information Assistant
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