LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The No. 22-ranked Harvard University women’s water polo team busted out its highest single-day offensive output of the month and produced strong goaltending to close out the Loyola Marymount University Invitational with two victories. The Crimson handed No. 24 California Baptist University a 7-5 loss and five student-athletes registered multiple goals to drown Fresno Pacific University, 14-7, in an afternoon contest.
Senior Sami Strutner and freshman Olivia Price led the Crimson with four goals each on the second day of the LMU Invite. Price split her quartet evenly between the matches, while Strutner netted all four against Fresno Pacific. Further, the offense flowed through sophomore Sofia Carrera-Justiz as the attacker was credited with eight assists on the day, including five versus Fresno Pacific.
Freshmen Price and Jilly Cronin scored out of the gate to give the Crimson a lead it would not relinquish against Cal Baptist. Price added another goal in the opening ticks of the second and Lana Gorlinski found the back of the net nearly three minutes later to post Harvard’s fourth goal of the day.
Cal Baptist pulled within two, 4-2, as the horn sounded on the first half, but Kristen Hong and Haley Bowe scored early in the third to steal back any momentum the Lancers might have hoped to gain.
Although Cal Baptist would post two more points in the third, the Crimson defense clamped down.
Mathilde Ribordy added the finishing touch to Harvard’s victory with her only goal of the game.
In cage, junior goalie Sam Acker recorded 14 saves for the second straight game
Facing Fresno Pacific, Harvard overwhelmed the Sunbirds with seven first quarter goals. Ribordy connected on a pass from Carrera-Justiz 19 seconds into the second match of the day to open the scoring. Bowe and Strutner contributed more points, before Fresno Pacific got on the scoreboard, 3-1.
Hong and Gorlinski built upon the Crimson lead, before Strutner erupted for three goals in under two minutes of play. Hong and freshman Quinne Pursell added the final goals of the half to give Harvard a sizeable 10-3 advantage at the break.
Harvard picked up where it left off in the third quarter, stifling the Sunbird offense and continuing to find the back of the net. Gorlinski resumed the scoring at 3:34 in the frame and Ribordy and Price soon followed, 13-3.
Although the Sunbirds scored four times in the fourth, Harvard took the game, 14-7, after Price posted her fourth goal of the day.
Senior goalie Cleo Harrington denied 15 shots to earn the victory versus Fresno Pacific.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
