CLAREMONT, Calif. — The Division III No. 9-ranked Austin College women’s water polo team split its first two games as the Claremont Convergence as the Kangaroos fell 11-10 to the University of Redlands at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges’ Haldeman Pool before bouncing back with a dominant 11-4 victory over Whittier College at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges’ Axelrood Pool . The ‘Roos are now 2-6 overall on the year.
Austin raced out to a 4-2 lead after the opening quarter against Redlands, with Ashlyn Thomas getting the scoring started at the 5:36 mark. Trailing 4-1, a strike by Redlands shaves the ‘Roos lead down to a pair. The lead grew to 6-3 at halftime, but the ‘Roos were held scoreless in the third as the Bulldogs trimmed their deficit to 6-5 heading into the fourth quarter.
Things went back and forth in the final quarter, with Redlands squaring things at nine goals apiece at the 2:21 mark before a McKenna Malone goal put the ‘Roos back on top. However, Redlands found the back of the net with 1:10 to play and scored the game-winner with 26 seconds left to hand the ‘Roos a narrow defeat.
Joslyn Dimitri and Malone each had two goals for the ‘Roos, while Thomas, Bianca Gallegos, Ashley Chand, Mikhaela Torres, Sophia King and Clara Koenig all tallied solo scores.
Against Whittier, the ‘Roos once again got out to a fast start, outscoring the Poets 3-1 in the first quarter and pushing the margin to 5-1 by halftime. Austin scored three goals in the third and three more in the fourth to cap off the dominating defensive victory, with Ashley Easley making three saves in the win.
Chand led the way with three goals for the ‘Roos, while Morgan Evans, Dimitri and Thomas each found the back of the cage twice. Gallegos and King rounded out the scoring with one goal each.
Information courtesy Austin College Athletics Communications
