THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Wheaton College women’s water polo team fell to Concordia University Irvine, 27-6, at host California Lutheran University’s Samuelson Aquatics Center on the second day of the Tina Finali Tournament.
The Lyons dip to 0-4 on the season, while the Golden Eagles improve to 6-5.
Concordia recorded a 33-23 shot advantage over Wheaton along with a 20-11 margin in steals.
Sophomore attacker Ryanna Ritting (Perkasie, Pa.) led the Lyons with a season-high four goals in addition to a game-high five steals and a drawn exclusion. First year center Avary Guge (Winchester, Calif.) netted a goal to go with an assist and five steals, while junior attacker Sophia Romo (Jupiter, Fla.) scored a goal. Sophomore goalie Fiona Swift (Red Hills, Pa.) allowed 15 goals in the first half, before yielding to junior keeper Amelia Brown (Acton, Mass.), who turned away two-of-14 shots.
Concordia sophomore utility player Kimorah Wong topped all players with eight goals and added a steal, a field block and a drawn exclusion for the Golden Eagles. First year attacker Myley Mendiburu tallied eight points, including three goals in addition to four steals and a drawn exclusion. First year center Madison Emerson and first year center defender Sydney Neilon each netted three goals and added an assist. First year goalie Tiffani Hunter stopped five-of-11 shots in 24 minutes, while junior goalie Jaden Soto did not face a shot in a quarter of play.
Concordia scored the first five goals of the game, capped by a marker from Emerson to give the Golden Eagles a 5-0 lead with 5:22 to play in the opening quarter. Ritting cracked the scoring column for Wheaton with a goal just 20 seconds later to make it 5-1. Concordia closed out the quarter with eight straight goals and scored the first marker of the second quarter to give the Golden Eagles a 14-1 cushion with 6:49 left in the first half.
The Lyons tallied two of the next three goals, including a pair of scores from Ritting, to cut the deficit to 15-3 at the 2:24 mark of the second quarter. Concordia netted the next three goals, including two from Wong, to increase the Golden Eagles’ lead to 18-3 with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter. Wheaton scored two of the next three goals again with markers from Romo and Guge to pull the Lyons within 19-5 with 90 seconds on the clock.
Concordia ripped off three more scores, including a pair from Wong, to take a 22-5 advantage at 6:32 of the fourth quarter. Ritting closed out Wheaton’s scoring with a goal at the 5:36 mark before the Golden Eagles netted the game’s final five markers in rolling to a 21-goal win.
Information courtesy Wheaton College Athletics Communications
