CLAREMONT, Calif. — Host/Division III No. 1-ranked/Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Champion Pomona-Pitzer Colleges outscored Division III No. 7/Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III runner-up Austin College by counts of 5-3, 13-1, 3-1 and 5-1 in the first, second, third and fourth quarters, respectively, as the Sagehens pocketed a 26-6 victory over the Kangaroos in a semifinal at the 2024 USA Water Polo Division III Collegiate Championship.
The two-time defending USA Water Polo Division III Collegiate Champion, Pomona-Pitzer never trailed as Brienz Lang put away a shot 11 seconds (7:49) into the the first quarter. Cory McGrath (Sr., Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus) responded 16 seconds later (7:33) to balance the scoreboard at one-all, but the duo of Namlhun Jachung (7:16, man-up) and Lulu Gaither (6:26) allowed the Sagehens to acquire a 3-1 margin.
Bianga Gallegos (So., Albuquerque, N.M./Manzano) (6:04) and Ashley Chand (Jr., Southlake, Texas/Southlake) (4:54, man-up) erased the Roos’ deficit to square the squads at three-all.
However, the defending Division III National Champions and top-ranked team in the group put any doubts about the contest’s outcome to rest in short order thanks to man-up (3:20) and natural (1:37) strikes from Lauren Smith to close out the first quarter.
Leading 5-3 after eight minutes of action, the Sagehens perched in the offensive half of the tank during the second quarter as Gaither (7:57), Brienz Lang (7:43; 4:29), Jachung (7:08), Kaylee Stiger (6:24, penalty shot), Smith (3:51, man-up), Paityn Richardson (3:09), Mia Amberger (2:44), Lisbon Zeigler (1:58, penalty shot) and Mia Amberger (2:44) ripped off 10 goals to sandwich a penalty shot by Chand with 2:12 left in the first half in making the score 15-4.
The remainder of the second quarter was the domain of Gabby Lewis who netted a hat-trick in under a minute with tallies at 1:15, 47 seconds and 24 seconds to cap off a 13-1 outburst by the Sagehens in the eigtht-minute quarter to build an 18-4 lead by halftime.
Pomona-Pitzer continued to pounce on the ‘Roos as Abigail Wiesenthal (7:47; 5:58) and Avya Magna (4:46) dented the twine with a trio of scores to break the 20-goal plateau in making it a 21-4 contest.
Caroline Armstrong (Fr., Houston, Texas/Cy-Fair) responded for Austin at 2:36 with the final score of third quarter, but the Sagehens went back on a carrion offensive in the fourth quarter as Wiesenthal (7:45; 7:16, man-up; 5:54) and Magna (5:25; 58 seconds, man-up) combined for five goals. Alyssa Ross (Sr., San Jose, Calif./Leland) chipped in a final blow for Austin as she converted a man-up opportunity with 3:38 remaining in regulation.
For Pomona-Pitzer, Wiesenthal (five goals), Magna (three goals), Lang (three goals, one assist), Gabby Lewis (three goals, one assist), Smith (three goals, one assist), Jachung (two goals, two assists), Gaither (two goals, one assist), Amberger (two goals, one assist), Zeigler (one goal, two assists), Richards (one goal, one assist), Stigar (one goal), Madison Lewis (six assists), Zosia Amberger (four assists), Bella McGowan (two assists) and Nikki Rubottom (one assist) inflicted the offensive damage.
Winning goalkeeper Amberger (four saves) and Thea Pine (four saves) combined for eight saves to stymie Austin and advance the Sagehens back to the USA Water Polo Division III Championship title game at Noon Pacific/3:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, May 5.
Chand (two goals), Armstrong (one goal), McGrath (one goal), Gallegos (one goal), Ross (one goal) and Joslyn Dimitri (Fr., Couer d’Alene, Idaho/Couer d’Alene) (two assists) accounted for the ‘Roos offense in support of a combined seven save effort from Emily Engberson (Sr., Copper Canyon, Texas/Marcus) (18 goals against, three saves) and Ashley Easley (Fr., San Antonio, Texas/Brandeis) (eight goals against, four saves).
The loss drops Austin into the Third Place game slated for 10:00 a.m. Pacific/1:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, May 5, at Pomona-Pitzer.
