CBU Pounces on Panthers

Saturday, January 27

Riverside, Calif.

12:45 PM

California Baptist University

USC

Photo by: Conner Schuh

1/27/2018 8:06:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – There was no wasting time by California Baptist University in the final game of the CBU Mini, as the Lancers came out hungry for their first win of the season.

CBU got it with a 12-6 victory over Chapman, the fourth-ranked team in NCAA Division III. Eight different players scored for the Lancers, who were boosted by three goals and an assist each from Lizette Perez and Allie Coleman.

"We played our game and capitalized on what was given to us," said Coleman, a senior, after recording the first hat trick of her career. "The key was focusing on what we wanted to do, knowing we could counter and score how we wanted. We did our best on defense, which fed into our counter."

CBU also won all four sprints, with Annie Eubanks taking three of them and Kira O'Donell claiming the first of the game. It led to the Lancers scoring first in all four quarters, as well. Eubanks supplied suffocating defense, as well, with five steals, two assists and a goal, while Vickie Ochoa chipped in three steals and a goal.

Megan Rocha started the 16 minutes in the goal and came up with eight saves and an assist. True freshman Kyra Foley played the second half in the cage and finished with four blocks.

"We've had a tough schedule the first couple of weeks, so it's nice to get some momentum going into Brown next weekend, which is going to be a tough tournament," Coach Jon Miller said.

The Lancers started the day against Southern California and despite battling with the third-ranked Trojans, fell 20-0. USC starts the season 3-0 and Chapman opens 0-2. CBU travels to the Bruno Invitational next weekend, facing host Brown and No. 25 Iona on Friday and then Bucknell and 13^th-ranked Hartwick on Saturday.

"This game helped show us what we do well and what we can improve on," Coleman said. "We can focus in at practice, because even though we won, there are things we want to get better at going into Brown next week."

CBU got on the Panthers right away, scoring the first four goals of the contest, which allowed the Lancers to play their full rotation and work on set plays.

Twenty-three seconds into the game with the Panthers, Perez drove into the Panther defense and lobbed a shot into the cage for an immediate CBU lead after O'Donell, the true freshman, won the opening sprint. Coleman, O'Donell and Ochoa found the back of the cage before Chapman could get on the board, as the Lancers ran their dangerous counter attack.

"We wanted to get out to a hot start, get on them early and put some shots away," Miller said. "We were able to work on a couple of things and get everyone a lot of rotation time."

Chapman ended the run momentarily, but true freshmen Amy Branch and Catie Kaliszewski notched their first collegiate goals to keep CBU up four, 6-2, at the end of the first quarter.

"I always appreciate when we start fast so that everyone gets to play and see what it's like to be in the pool, get cheered on and help us with the win," Coleman said.

Perez tallied her hat trick about halfway through the second quarter, while Jaclyn Myers provided perhaps the prettiest goal of the game when she barred one in from about six meters out on a six-on-five advantage to increase CBU's advantage to seven, 10-3, in the waning minutes of the first half.

CBU's lead ballooned as high as eight, 11-3, when Eubanks scored with 6:22 left in the third. The Panthers scored the final two goals of the third, but Coleman gave CBU the first goal of the fourth quarter to complete her hat trick. It came on a breakaway after a steal and assist from Eubanks.

"We were able to adjust to their defense and our shot selection was right where it needed to be," Miller said. "We did a good job on defense taking away what they wanted to do. Everyone bought into what we do as a team and everyone pitched in. The first, second and third group all did a really good job coming into the game and keeping the momentum up."