IRVINE/LONG BEACH, Calif. -– Brown University women’s water polo dropped a 9-7 decision to Concordia University-Irvine and a 14-5 decision to No. 12-ranked Long Beach State University at the Woollett Aquatics Center and Lindgren Aquatics Center, respectively.
Playing in the fourth and fifth games of their eight-game, eight-day spring break trip to the state of California, the Bears remained within 5-4 in the third quarter of the Eagles in an eventual setback in game one before falling to the 49ers – who extended their win streak to nine games – in game two.
“We played two strong, well-coached teams today,” said Brown head coach Felix Mercado. “We’ll learn from today and get ready for the final three games of our trip, beginning with La Verne tomorrow night.”
Freshman Katie Klein (Lafayette, Calif.) led the Bears with four goals on the day, while freshman Dagmara Czajka (San Diego, Calif.) and senior Carmen Rosas (Schaumburg, Ill.) each netted two goals. Junior goalkeeper Lauren Burns (Long Grove, Ill.) made 11 saves against Concordia.
Facing Concordia, Klein scored three goals in the Bears’ first game of the day and fourth contest of its spring break trip.
The Bears held a 3-2 lead at halftime and remained within 5-4 of the Eagles in the third quarter before the hosts completed the second-half rally for the win.
Klein finished with four points on her hat trick and an assist. Sophomore Carissa Perez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) totaled a goal, two assists and two steals, and senior Maigrie McDougal (Sacramento, Calif.) registered a goal, an assist, a steal and a field block.
Rosas tallied a goal, a steal, and a field block, senior Allison Woo (Arcadia, Calif.) netted a goal, and sophomore Kaitlyn Cook (Los Gatos, Calif.) dished out two assists.
In the cage, Burns made 11 saves alongside an assist.
The Bears opened the game with a 2-0 lead just over two minutes into the contest behind goals from Klein and McDougal. The Eagles scored the final goal of the first quarter and initial goal of the second quarter to knot the score at 2-2.
Klein’s second goal of the game with 4:49 left in the first half gave the Bears a 3-2 edge at the break.
Concordia scored the first three goals of the second half to move ahead 5-3 with 3:54 left in the period. Klein stopped the run, cutting Brown’s deficit to 5-4 with 3:17 to go in the stanza. The hosts then netted the final two goals of the third frame and first goal of the fourth quarter to extend their margin to 8-4 with 6:04 to play.
Back-to-back goals from Rosas and Woo brought Brown within 8-6 with 4:30 on the clock. Following a Concordia marker, Perez netted the final goal of the game with 1:39 remaining.
In game two, Czajka tallied two goals and two assists versus Long Beach State.
The Bears remained within 4-2 of the 49ers in the second quarter before the hosts pulled ahead 8-2 at halftime and 11-3 through three quarters.
Czajka led the Brown offense with her four points alongside a steal, while fellow freshman Katie Klein (Lafayette, Calif.) posted a goal and an assist.
Senior McKenna Miller (Danville, Calif.) tallied a goal, a steal, and two ejections drawn, Rosas netted a goal and Perez added an assist, a steal and two field blocks.
In goal, freshman net-minder Marley Presiado (Newport Beach, Calif.) blocked five shots, and Burns tacked on two saves.
After Long Beach took a 4-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, back-to-back goals from Czajka and Klein to start the second stanza pulled Brown within 4-2 at the 5:08 mark. The 49ers closed the half on a 4-0 run, taking an 8-2 edge at the intermission.
Following a marker from the hosts to start the second half, Rosas found the back of the net before Long Beach went ahead 11-3 at the end of the third. Czajka and Miller netted consecutive goals to open the fourth quarter, making the score 11-5, prior to the 49ers scoring the game’s final three goals.
Release courtesy Brown University Athletics Communications
