PASADENA, Calif. — The Washington & Jefferson College women’s water polo team created a late scoring surge to take a slim 12-11 victory over the Beavers of the California Institute of Technology to start the Presidents’ Spring Break trip to California.
W&J off to a quick lead as Ryley McClellan (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) and Sydney Neumann (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) found the back of the net for the first two scores of the matchup for either side. The Beavers responded with two goals of their own to even the score at two-all midway through the first quarter. McClellan scored again to momentarily give W&J a one-goal lead. However, the Beavers put away a shot with just 11 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Both teams scored a pair of goals in the second quarter. Megan DePrez (Claremont, Califl./Claremont) netted a tally at the 3:07 mark to even the game at five-all entering halftime.
Freshman Sky Wald (Granada Hills, Calif./John F. Kennedy) connected for the Presidents before McClellan swished her third goal of the game. Caltech posted a commanding response of five straight goals throughout the back end of the third quarter into the middle of the fourth to acquire a 10-7 lead.
W&J responded with its own five-goal outburst to claim a 12-10 lead with only minutes left in regulation. McClellen accounted for score three of the Presidents’ goals during the run, while DePrez and Laura Anthony (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) both contributed solo markers during the scoring spree. The Beavers attempted to rally, but could only muster a late goal with 1:12 left on the clock to move within 12-11 prior to the final horn.
McClellan led all players with a match-high six goals and an assist, while DePrez tacked on a pair with an assist. Anthony (one goal, two assists), Neumann (one goal, two assists), Wald (one goal) and Kate McKiernan (Sr., Columbus, N.J./Pennington) (one goal) tacked on the rest of the Presidents’ offense.
Alliey Cunningham (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) registered eight saves in 32 minutes of work.
Information courtesy Washington & Jefferson College Athletics Communications
