WHITTIER — The Occidental women's water polo team lost to host Whittier College 9-6, but came back to defeat Cal State San Bernardino 10-5 later in the day at the season-opening Whittier Invitational on Saturday.

In the first game, the Tigers fell behind 2-0 after the first quarter, and after the two teams traded goals to open the second quarter, Oxy rattled of three unanswered scores to take a 4-3 lead. 

Senior Katya Soot scored twice in the quarter and finished with a game-high four goals for the Tigers.   Senior Kelsey Shyba's breakaway goal would give the Tigers their first lead of the game with 3:20 to play in the half.

The Poets quickly answered back, with two scores of their own to take a 5-4 lead into half.  The Purple and Gold were anchored by freshman standout Janel Rivera who also scored four goals.

The back-and-forth battle continued into the third quarter with each team scoring once and Whittier maintaining a one-goal advantage heading to the final frame.

Soot's step-out from the center position at the 5-minute mark of the fourth tied the score at six, but the Poets responded with a goal on their very next possession to make it 7-6.  It was a lead Whittier would not relinquish. 

Junior Koral Gill scored one goal for the Tigers while senior goalie Geneva Perez (Fresno, CA) finished with five saves in the game.

BOX SCORE                             1^st             2^nd           3^rd            4^th            TOTAL

OXY                                             1               3               1               1               6

Whittier                                  3               2               1               3               9

OXY STATS

GOALS/Attempts: Soot-4/5, Shyba-1/3, Gill-1/2, Albino-0/5, McClafferty-0/2, Wheeler-0/2, Gibbs-0/1

ASSISTS:  Albino-1, Zurcher-1, Gibbs-1

STEALS: Albino-4, Perez-2, DesCombes-1, McClafferty-1, Gibbs-1, Soot-1

Turnovers: Zurcher-4, Gill-2, Yasuda-1, Gibbs-1, Albino-1

Exclusions Drawn: Albino-2, DesCombes-1, Gibbs-1, Yasuda-1

Exclusions: McClafferty-3, Albino-2, Shyba-1, Wheeler-1, Gibbs-1

Saves/Goals Allowed: Perez-5-9

Solid defense and a strong fourth quarter rally would lead Oxy to victory over Cal State San Bernardino in the second game of the day.

The game started tight with the Coyotes taking an early 1-0 lead.  Soot, who again dominated on the offensive end, scored the first of her game-high five goals to tie the score at one after the first quarter.

The two teams traded jabs in the second quarter and the score remained tied at the half.

The Tigers took the lead for good in the third quarter with three different players scoring.  Gill, Soot and Junior Katie Gibbs provided the firepower, while senior goalie Sofie Munoz kept the Coyotes at bay, allowing just four goals through the first three quarters. 

Munoz finished with seven saves and three steals in the game.

Leading by a 5-4 margin moving into the fourth, Oxy pulled away for good with four unanswered goals on counter attacks in the first 4 minutes of the quarter.

Freshman Carly Zurcher capped the Oxy run with her first career goal to give the Tigers a 10-4 lead.  San Bernardino would close out the scoring with a full court buzzer beater.

BOX SCORE                             1^st             2^nd           3^rd            4^th            TOTAL

OXY                                             1               1               3               5               10

CSUSB                                        1               1               2               1               5

OXY STATS

GOALS/Attempts: Soot-5/6, Gill-2/3, Gibbs-1/4, Zurcher-1/3, Shyba-1/2, Albino-0/7, McClafferty-0/4, Yauda-0/2, Houck-0/1, Beal-0/1, Wheeler-0/1, DesCombes-0/1

ASSISTS:  Gibbs-2, McClafferty-2, Munoz-1, Shyba-1, Gill-1

STEALS: Gibbs-4, Munoz-3, McClafferty-3, DesCombes-2, Albino-2, Soot-2, Gill-1, Akiyama-1

Turnovers: Gibbs-2, Soot-1, Yasuda-1, Akiyama-1, Albino-1, DesCombes-1

Exclusions: Shyba-1, Gibbs-1

Exclusions Drawn:  Albino-3, Gibbs-2, Wheeler-1, McClafferty-1

Saves/Goals Allowed: Munoz-7/5