Defense has best showing of season in 12-4 win over Connecticut College

ORANGE, Calif. – It wasn't until the third quarter that the Chapman University women's water polo team allowed a goal, as it defeated Connecticut College 12-4 on Wednesday afternoon at the Allred Aquatics Center. Four goals allowed is Chapman's best defensive performance since defeating Caltech 18-4 last season.

Chapman (10-7) controlled the game from the outset as it took a 3-0 lead in the first four minutes of the first quarter on goals by sophomore utility Juliana Botting, junior driver Sami McLaughlin and freshman utility Riley Ford. The second quarter looked similar to the first with Chapman scoring three more goals and extending its lead to 6-0 at halftime. Freshman goalie Kirsten Spicer had six of her 11 blocks in the first half to hold Connecticut (0-2) scoreless.

In the first minute of the second half, senior 2M Emily Hunter got the Camels on the board to make the score 6-1. The Panthers answered with three-consecutive goals to pull ahead 9-1, capped by a goal from Botting with 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Connecticut rallied with three goals, two of which were scored by Hunter to narrow Chapman's lead to 9-4 with 5:57 remaining in the game which is as close as the score would get. Another 3-0 run by Chapman with goals from Ford, McLaughlin and freshman utility Kassy Parker gave the team its 12-4 win.

McLaughlin and Ford each scored a team-high three goals for Chapman while Hunter had three of her team's four goals for Connecticut. Chapman returns to action on Friday at the Allred Aquatics Center vs. Azusa Pacific at 3 p.m.

Box Score: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wwaterpolo/2011-12/files/CC-CU.pdf

by Chris Watts
Sports Information Assistant

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