Tigers Land Four on All-SCIAC Teams
LOS ANGELES Calif. (May 4, 2009) – Following a successful women’s water polo season in which the Tigers climbed to the top of the Division III National Poll, four members of the squad were selected as All-SCIAC recipients.
Going out on a high note, Occidental’s rock in front of the cage, Laura Simanonok, earned First Team All-SCIAC, after honing Second Team honors in 2007 and Honorable Mention in 2008. The Long Beach native recorded 225 blocks this season and holds the Oxy career saves in a season record with 326, in 2007. Simanonok appeared in 28 games this season.
Joining Simanonok on the First Team is sophomore Karie Nickle who led the Tigers at both ends of the pool with 74 goals and 45 assists as well as 11 field blocks, finishing second with 88 steals while her 34 drawn ejections put her third on the squad. Nickle played in all 32 games for the Tigers in 2009.
As her senior season came to a close, Kelly Curtin earned Second Team All-SCIAC recognition and finished her career with an Oxy record 269 career exclusions drawn. This season alone she recorded a team high 94, which was 60 more than her next closest teammate, Nickle. In 32 games Curtin also grabbed 47 steals while scoring 34 goals with 17 assists, putting her third on the teams.
Rounding out the All-SCIAC honorees in 2009 is sophomore Julie Monday who was named an Honorable Mention. She was second on the Tigers with both 58 goals and 37 ejections drawn. She was a force at center and was a valuable asset for Occidental throughout the season as she played in all 32 games.
This past weekend at the Collegiate III National Tournament, where the Tigers finished fourth, Simanonok and Monday were named to the First Team All-Tournament for solid play all weekend while freshman Tessa Bailey-Findley garnered Second Team All-Tournament honors. Bailey-Findley finished the season with a single-season Oxy record 112 steals on a team that combined for 496, setting a new team school record.
The Tigers finished the season with an overall record of 18-14 and placed third in the SCIAC with a 6-3 record. During the spring Oxy climbed to the top of the Division III National Poll.
