Tigers Come From Behind For Game 1 Win

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (April 25, 2008) –  Fourth seeded Occidental College came  back from a 4-2 halftime deficit to defeat the # 5 University of Redlands 9-7 in the first game of the 2008 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women’s water polo championship  tournament.

The Bulldogs scored the games first two goals early in the first quarter, before freshman Perla Almaraz got Oxy on the board with an outside shot in the final minute of the first quarter.   Sara Boehler evened the game with a goal in the opening minute of the second quarter but the Bulldog's Clair Quinn answered with back to back goals to give Redlands the two goal cushion at the half. 

In the third quarter Oxy came back again as Alamaraz scored her second goal of the game 30 seconds into the quarter. Junior Ashley Notti added a goal one minute later to even the score at four. 

The teams would each trade a goal to close out the period at five apiece. 

In the fourth Oxy pulled away as they scored three unanswered goals to open the quarter and held an 8-5 lead with just over three minutes to play.  Karie Nickle scored twice in the period, both times on power-plays, as Oxy held on for the 9-7 win. 

Danielle Montegro scored twice in the game for the Tigers and Kelly Curtin also scored as all six of Oxy's starters each scored in the game.  Along with her two goals, Montenegro had an assist and led the team with three steals.  Curtin drew a game high four ejections and ran her season total to 82 ejections drawn which is six shy of the school record held by her older sister Sheena (2006). 

Goalie Laura Simanonok finished with a game high eight saves. 

The victory catapults Oxy into the tournaments semi-final where they will play #1 seed Cal Lutheran Saturday at 3:15 p.m. 

Earlier this year CLU defeated the Tigers 13-11 at Taylor Pool.  Pomona-Pitzer will play Claremont McKenna-Mudd-Scripps in the other semi-final game.

Follow the tournament here.