Women’s Water Polo Goes 2-2 in Season Opening Tournament
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Riverside (2-2, 0-0) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
|
Orange Coast (3-0, 0-0) | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Riverside (2-1, 0-0) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
|
Golden West (1-0, 0-0) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mt. San Antonio (0-2, 0-0) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
|
Riverside (1-0, 0-0) | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 10 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fullerton (2-0, 0-0) | 6 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 19 |
|
Riverside (1-1, 0-0) | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
While an empty pool with ripples caused by an uninterrupted breeze is typically viewed as serine, it was the opposite notion for the past 18 months. The COVID-19 shutdown forced the Riverside City College women's water polo program, and all other sports, to halt play and patiently wait until its next opportunity.
The Tigers finally got their chance the past two days after shifting their season-opening tournament to Orange Coast College after the RCCD Board Resolution requiring vaccinations on campus. Despite RCC now allowing opposing teams, fans and spectators on site for athletic competitions, the aquatics teams were proactive in making sure their student-athletes had an opportunity to play no matter the circumstance.
The Tigers went 2-2 over the weekend that featured a 10-5 win over Mt. San Antonio on Friday and a 6-3 victory over Golden West on Saturday. They fell to Fullerton, the defending California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Champions, 19-9, and Orange Coast, 13-6.
It was shared wealth throughout the majority of the tournament, but freshman Amber Nielsen led the Tigers offensively as she scored 14 total goals in the tournament.
She was a menace on both ends of the pool by drawing eight ejections, pocketing five steals and recording one field block. She began the weekend with a five-goal outburst and backed her inaugural performance with a six-goal showing.
Freshman tandem Kacie Bradshaw and Lindsey Habegger recorded five goals each over the tournament. Bradshaw recorded eight steals, while Habegger followed with seven.
Freshman Lauren Loffelmacher paced the Tigers with 13 steals and chipped in a trio of netters. Freshman McKenzie Hollis matched her offensive output with three goals.
Cage duties were split down the middle in the tournament with freshman Gabriella Fisher leading the way. She recorded Riverside's two victories after earning 20 saves and allowing just eight goals. Freshman McKenna Ortiz was tabbed with a pair of losses despite earning a team-high 24 goals.
Riverside (2-2) will kick off Orange Empire Conference (OEC) play against Fullerton on the road next Wednesday, September 15 at 4 p.m.