LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Women's water polo was in action for their home and season opener against the Carthage College Firebirds on Friday night. 

The Firebirds got on the board first thanks to a 5-meter opportunity that they took advantage of to grab a quick 1-0 lead. Tori Carlson would knot things up at one shortly after, and the Tigers took the lead on a goal from Ruby Vogel assisted by Koko Butcher.

The teams were all square at 2 goals each after a period of play, but Oxy scored first in the 2nd period after a shot attempt bounced high off the post and was recovered by Emma Wilderman. 

Wilderman found Emma Merrill open for a shot and the first-year from Pennsylvania took full advantage of a chance to score, depositing her first career collegiate goal into the back of the net to give the Tigers the lead. 

A first year from San Francisco, Mia Colabianchi, also fired a first collegiate goal into the net for the Tigers' next score, and Lucy Worden would add a goal as well to get the Oxy lead up to 5-2 with less than 4 minutes left until halftime. 

After Carthage responded with two goals to get back in the game, Koko Butcher found the back of the net on a power play with an assist from Schuyler Simon-Thomas. 

The Firebirds stayed in the game thanks to penalty shots, and the score would once again be all square at the end of two quarters of play by a score of 7-7. 

The 3rd period stayed just as tight as the first half, with the first score coming about halfway through the period on Worden's 3rd goal of the game for the Tigers. Oxy would win the period 2-1 and take a 9-8 lead into the final period. 

Koko Butcher scored the first goal of the 4th period to extend the Oxy lead and Estella Gray and Mak Werner also scored goals to eventually put Oxy up by a score of 12-9 with 5 minutes to play in the game. 

The Tigers would hold off the Firebirds late surge to tie the game and win by a score of 12-11. 

Alex Moye had 9 saves for the Tigers and Koko Butcher, Schuyler Simon-Thomas, Estella Gray each had two assists in the game. 

Lucy Worden led the way offensively with 3 goals, while Tori Carlson, Koko Butcher, and Mia Colabianchi each scored 2 goals. 

The Tigers next game will be on February 15th at 11:00 am in De Mandel Aquatics Center against Austin College.