LOS ANGELES/ORANGE, Calif. — The Division III No. 10-ranked Carthage College women’s water polo team went 0-4 at the Convergence Tournament as the Firebirds fell to the California Institute of Technology, 15-14 in overtime, and Division III No. 6 Occidental College, 15-14, on Friday, March 6, at Occidental’s De Mandel Aquatics Center prior to dropping contests to the University of Redlands, 11-9, and Division III No. 4 Chapman University, 21-12, at Chapman’s Allred Aquatics Center on Saturday, March 6.
Facing Caltech, Carthage opened the game strong, taking an early lead in the first quarter.
Kiera Crawley got the Firebirds on the board before Grace Steinberg scored and Kamille Graham added an extra-player tally to stake the Firebirds to a 3–1 advantage midway through the opening frame. The Beavers responded with two late goals to tie the score at three-all heading into the second quarter.
The teams traded goals throughout the second quarter. Mak Werner scored twice for Carthage, both assisted by Brenna Carstens, while Morrigan Bushroe-Stumpf found the back of the net in the final seconds of the half to set the scoreboard at six-all leading into halftime.
The Firebirds put together their strongest offensive stretch in the third quarter by scoring five goals. Werner converted a penalty shot, while Steinberg and Crawley each added tallies. Carstens scored on an extra-player opportunity and Steinberg punched in another marker late in the frame to help Carthage take an 11–10 lead.
However, Caltech responded in the fourth quarter and the first overtime period to regain momentum. Yamila Areizaga scored for the Firebirds in the fourth quarter, and Werner added another goal in the inaugural OT period, but the Beavers continued to find the net to maintain a narrow lead.
In the second OT period, Graham scored an extra-player goal to bring Carthage within one, but Caltech answered late to secure a 15–14 victory.
Werner led the Firebirds offensively with four goals and two assists. Steinberg followed with three goals, while Graham contributed two goals, three assists and five steals. Crawley added two goals and an assist, and Carstens finished with one goal and three assists. Bushroe-Stumpf recorded eight saves in goal.
Carthage finished the match with 28 shots and scored 14 goals, including four on the power play and one penalty-shot conversion.
Taking on host Occidental, the teams traded goals in an evenly played first quarter. Crawley led the early charge for the Firebirds by finding the back of the net twice in the first eight minutes.. Areizaga and Werner also added goals as Carthage kept pace with the Tigers. Occidental answered throughout the quarter behind a pair of goals from Wilde as the teams exited the first quarter knotted at four-all.
The Firebirds continued to generate offense in the second quarter as Areizaga added two more goals to complete a hat trick before halftime. Steinberg and Graham also contributed scores.
Carthage converted multiple extra-player opportunities to stay within reach, but Occidental maintained a narrow 8-7 margin going into halftime.
Carthage regained some momentum in the third quarter as Crawley completed a four-goal performance with two more tallies, and Todd added a goal during a power-play opportunity. Machuca also scored as the Firebirds continued to apply pressure offensively. Despite the strong offensive output, Occidental responded with timely goals of its own, keeping the game tight heading into the final quarter with the Tigers clutching a 12–11 margin.
The final quarter remained closely contested as both teams traded goals. Graham scored her second marker of the contest and Werner added another for the Firebirds as Carthage tried to erase its deficit. However, Occidental managed to hold its slim lead down the stretch, however, scoring key late goals to secure a 15-14 victory.
Crawley and Areizaga led the Firebirds with four goals each, while Graham added two. Steinberg, Todd, Werner and Machuca each contributed a goal in the balanced offensive effort.
Carthage finished the match with 14 goals on 30 shots and had seven different players score.
Against Redlands, both teams traded goals early. Redlands struck first before Carstens responded with a power-play goal off an assist from Werner to tie the game. Graham followed with a penalty-shot conversion to give Carthage its first lead. The Bulldogs answered with back-to-back goals to regain the advantage, but Crawley evened the score again with a late goal assisted by Werner. After Redlands took a one-goal lead with under 30 seconds left in the first quarter, Graham responded just seconds later with a goal from an assist by Edie Hamilton as the teams concluded the first eight minutes deadlocked at four-all.
Defense dominated the second quarter as both sides limited scoring chances. Redlands managed the only goal of the quarter, converting a penalty shot midway through the quarter. Despite several opportunities for the Firebirds, the Bulldogs carried a narrow 5–4 lead into halftime.
Redlands extended its lead early in the third quarter, but Carthage quickly answered when Areizaga found the back of the net off a pass from Machuca. The Bulldogs added another goal before Carstens scored a second goal of the game on a power play with an assist from Graham. After three quarters, Redlands maintained a slim 7–6 advantage.
Carthage opened the final quarter strong as Graham converted another penalty shot to tie the contest at seven-all. Redlands responded with a pair of goals to regain momentum. Crawley cut the deficit to one with a goal assisted by Werner, but the Bulldogs scored twice more in the closing minutes to stretch their lead. Carstens netted a late goal assisted by Werner, but Carthage was unable to complete the comeback as Redlands secured a 11–9 victory.
Graham and Carstens led the Firebirds with three goals each, while Crawley added two. Areizaga contributed one goal. Werner facilitated the offense with four assists, and Hamilton recorded nine saves in goal.
Carthage College finished the game with nine goals on 30 shots.
In the weekend finale, Chapman opened the game with a strong offensive surge, scoring seven unanswered goals to take a 7–0 lead after the first quarter. Carthage had early opportunities but was unable to convert as the Panthers capitalized on their possessions and controlled the momentum heading into the second quarter.
The Firebirds found their rhythm offensively in the second quarter by scoring five goals. Werner put Carthage on the board with a goal assisted by Todd. Steinberg followed with an exclusion tally before Areizaga added another strike on a power play. Graham scored back-to-back goals, both assisted by Werner, to close the half. Despite the offensive push, Chapman added five goals of its own to take a 12–5 lead into halftime.
Carthage continued to battle in the third quarter with three goals. Crawley started the scoring for the Firebirds off an assist from Veronica Gut. Areizaga later converted a penalty shot, and Graham completed a hat-trick with an exclusion goal. Chapman answered with six goals to extend its lead to 18–8 heading into the final quarter.
The Firebirds closed the game with four goals in the concluding frame. Sydney Barkley scored twice, including an exclusion goal, before Werner added a second goal of the match. In the final second, goalkeeper Hamilton scored to cap Carthage’s offense. Chapman recorded three goals in the quarter to secure a 21–12 victory.
Graham led Carthage with three goals, while Werner finished with two goals and two assists. Areizaga and Barkley each added two goals for the Firebirds.
Carthage totaled 12 goals on 25 shots.
Information courtesy Carthage College Athletics Communications
