PASADENA, Calif. – Adam Ward scored the opening two goals and the Sagehens never gave up the lead, beating the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags 7-4 and winning the SCIAC Postseason Tournament Sunday afternoon.
The No. 17 Sagehens earn the SCIAC's automatic qualifier bid to the NCAA Tournament. Pomona-Pitzer will open the NCAA Tournament at Berkeley to play California (20-4) on December 1. Game time is TBD. Check out all the pairings here.
After Ward gave the Sagehens the initial lead, Max Ries added another goal, but the Stags cut the lead to 3-2 at the end of the period.
James Baker and Zach Senator each added a goal in the second quarter, giving the Sagehens a 5-2 advantage at the half. CMS held Pomona-Pitzer scoreless in the third quarter and cut the Sagehens' lead to one with 4:51 left in the game.
But the Sagehens surged late with Jacob Niskey and Joseph Schafer each scoring in the final three minutes to seal the game. Daniel Diemer totalled eight saves in the game.
Pomona Pitzer finished the regular season undefeated in SCIAC play and improve their overall record to 23-8. The Sagehens last won the SCIAC Tournament in 2011.
