Claremont, Calif. – Seniors Perri Hopkins (Agoura, Calif. - pictured) and Annie Oxborough-Yankus (Wallingford, Conn.) celebrated Senior Day by scoring back-to-back goals 30 seconds apart in the second half and leading the top-ranked Pomona-Pitzer Women's Water Polo team to an 8-5 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Wednesday at Haldeman Pool.

With the win, the Sagehens improve to 17-16 on the year overall, and a perfect 6-0 in the SCIAC with one regular season game left to play (at Whittier on Saturday). The SCIAC Tournament will then take place at Whittier next weekend, with the Sagehens guaranteed to be the top seed. Redlands is the only SCIAC team with one loss, and Pomona-Pitzer owns the head-to-head win over the Bulldogs.

After building a 4-1 lead in the first quarter, CMS held the Sagehens scoreless in the second quarter as it pulled within 4-3 at the break. The seniors then came out after halftime and stepped up with two straight goals. Hopkins scored her second of the game at the 6:35 mark, and on the ensuing possession, Oxborough-Yankus ripped the net with a goal to push Pomona-Pitzer's lead to 6-3.

Freshman Alyssa Woodward (Riverside, Calif.) hit one off the post from close range later in the third quarter, but on the very next possession, got a clean look from in front of the net and buried a shot into the right side to extend the lead to 7-3 with 1:18 left on the third quarter clock.

CMS started to make a move, though, as Alyssa Filippelli scored a 6-on-5 goal with just seven seconds left in the third quarter, and sister Candace Filippelli added one with 3:32 left in regulation to make the score 7-5. Pomona-Pitzer's defense came through, though, as Woodward stole passes on two straight possessions, the second of which was an outlet pass from CMS goalie Taylor Basso to set up a quick counter. Oxborough-Yankus had her initial attempt blocked, but the rebound went to freshman Chrissie Alving-Trinh (Fresno, Calif.), who shoveled the ball into the empty net with one motion to make the score 8-5 with 1:47 left.

Hopkins then helped seal her Senior Day victory by coming up with another steal for the Pomona-Pitzer defense, and junior goalie Sarah Tuggy (Los Angeles, Calif.) put the finishing touches on the victory with a save from tight range with 45 seconds left.

Tuggy finished with eight saves in net to get the win for Pomona-Pitzer. Woodward led the way with three goals and Hopkins had two, while Alyssa Filippelli (two goals) was the only player on the Athenas to score more than once.

Pomona-Pitzer travels to Whittier on Saturday as it tries to end the regular season undefeated in both the SCIAC and against NCAA Division III teams (11-0).




Pomona-Pitzer 8, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 5


              1              2              3              4              F
CMS       2              1              1              1              5
PP          4              0              3              1              8


Qtr         Time          Player (School)                             Score
1              6:43        Alyssa Woodward (PP)                 1-0
1              5:43        Perri Hopkins (PP)                         2-0
1              2:22        Alyssa Filippelli (CMS)                    2-1
1              1:51        Alyssa Woodward (PP)                  3-1
1              1:13        Alex Lincoln (PP)                            4-1
1              0:25        Jeanne Kelber (CMS)                     4-2

2              4:11        Haley Conner (CMS)                       4-3

3              6:35        Perri Hopkins (PP)                           5-3
3              6:05        Annie Oxborough-Yankus (PP)       6-3
3              1:18        Alyssa Woodward (PP)                  7-3
3              0:07        Alyssa Filippelli (CMS)                    7-4

4              3:32        Candace Filippelli (CMS)                7-5
4              1:47        Chrissie Alving-Trinh (PP)             8-5