Battling Top-Ranked Opponents

Friday, March 16

Los Angeles, Calif.

9:15 AM

California Baptist University

Michigan

Photo by: Andrew Shortall

Battling Top-Ranked Opponents

3/16/2018 7:59:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

By: Andrew Shortall, Asst. Sports Information Director

MICHIGAN BOX SCORE

PRINCETON BOX SCORE

LOS ANGELES – Friday began perhaps California Baptist University's most challenging stretch of the season, with four games against top-23 ranked teams at the LMU Invitational this weekend.

The No. 24 Lancers fought the entire way in both games but ultimately fell to ninth-ranked Michigan, 17-6, and No. 17 Princeton, 8-6, on Friday at Loyola Marymount. The Wolverines improved to 19-7 and extended their win streak to 12, while the Tigers win their third-straight to move to 9-6. The Lancers are 12-11 and will face No. 22 Harvard and 23 Marist on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., respectively.

Kira O'Donell led CBU with five points on three goals and two assists and drew two exclusions. Annie Eubanks (three goals, one assist) and Allie Coleman (one goal, three assists) both had four points. Eubanks added four steals and four drawn ejections, while Coleman chipped in five steals and drew two kick outs.

Lizette Perez also scored three goals, drew six ejections and forced four steals, with Jocelyn Schwegler adding two assists and three steals in two games for the Lancers.

CBU played No. 9 Michigan tight in the first half, but the Wolverines pulled away in the second. Michigan scored the first three goals of the game for a 3-0 lead with 3:36 left in the first quarter.

O'Donell got CBU's offense started with a goal to make it 3-1 with 45 seconds left in the quarter. The Wolverines scored the next three but the Lancers were unfazed and closed out the last five minutes of the first half on a 3-0 run.

Eubanks and Vickie Ochoa scored in that span, while O'Donell added her second goal and assisted on Ochoa's goal. Michigan rattled off a few quick goals in the second half and did not let up en route to the win.

Eubanks and O'Donell both finished with two goals and an assist in the game, while O'Donell drew two ejections and Eubanks had three steals and a drawn ejection. Perez added a goal, three steals and two kick outs, as well.

Once again in Friday's nightcap, CBU fell into an early hole, down 4-1, at the end of the first half. The Lancers showed no quit and scored four of the first five goals in the third quarter, thanks to Perez, O'Donell, Coleman and Jaclyn Myers to tie the game at 5-5 with 2:46 left in the quarter.

The Tigers scored the next two goals to go ahead 7-5 with 3:44 to play, but Perez cut the deficit to one for CBU 16 seconds later. Princeton got its final insurance goal with 1:32 remaining. One can only wonder how much different the Lancers' comeback would have looked if they were at full strength.

Both O'Donell and Eubanks were ejected three times in the game, with Eubanks leaving for good with 11:17 to play and O'Donell with 7:25 remaining. It was a challenge the Lancers faced all game, with Princeton holding a 16-11 advantage in powerplays in the contest.

Still, CBU goalie Grace Ramirez kept her team in it with nine saves and four steals. Perez scored twice, drew four ejections and had a steal in the game, while Coleman tallied three points and four steals. O'Donell had a goal and assist, while Eubanks logged a goal, three drawn ejections and steal in the loss.