Water polo drops another close one to Occidental
ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's water polo team lost another tough match on Wednesday afternoon, falling to visiting Occidental College 7-6 at the Allred Pool. In what has become an adverse trend, the Panthers lost their eighth game of the year by one goal.
The match featured two of the top six teams in Division III squaring off and both jockeying for position within the SCIAC standings for seeding in the conference tournament which begins at the end of the month. No. 5-ranked Chapman (9-18 overall, 2-4 SCIAC) needed a win to move into the upper half of the standings.
No. 6-ranked Occidental (4-17 overall, 2-3 SCIAC) had different plans however, jumping out to a 4-1 halftime lead in a primarily defensive battle. The Tigers' Kelsey Shyba scored a pair of goals to help Oxy take a 6-2 lead with 2:15 remaining in the third quarter before Chapman attempted a comeback.
Chapman junior utility Riley Ford and freshman utility Lindsey Campbell scored back-to-back goals just 49 seconds apart before the end of the period to cut the Tigers' lead to 6-4.
Both teams were held scoreless for the first four and a half minutes of the fourth quarter until Occidental's Lizzy Kosin netted one to put the Tigers back up by three. Chapman again rallied on goals by junior A Emily Holmquist (her second) and a second goal from Ford with 52 seconds left to make it 7-6. The Panthers got the ball back with 17 seconds left, but couldn't get off a final shot before the buzzer.
Chapman hits the road for its next three contests, including non-conference games against Division II Azusa Pacific and Division I Loyola Marymount on Saturday. The Panthers return to Allred Pool for their home and regular season finale and 'Senior Day' on Saturday, April 19 at 11 a.m. against Whittier College.
by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director
Boxscore: http://chapman.prestosports.com/sports/wwaterpolo/2013-14/files/OXY-CU.pdf
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