(Ventura, CA) After opening the Ventura Tournament with a loss to Fullerton College (14-7), the Mt. SAC Women's Water Polo Team rebounded and won the last three games over host Ventura (9-8), Santa Monica (14-0) and Merced (14-2).
The loss to Fullerton snapped the Mounties' longest winning streak in years at 12 games. But they came back and scored 37 goals in the three wins
Leading the way in goals for the Mounties (15-2) was driver Reannon Urias with 10 goals and 12 steals. Utility Erin DeAnda added nine goals and nine steals. Driver Miranda Silva had seven goals and eight steals, while utility Colleen Gamboa scored eight goals.
Goalie Kristi Mertins, who currently leads the state with 15 wins, also recorded her fourth shutout of the season.
Game highlights:
Fullerton 14, Mt. SAC 7
Fullerton led 5-3 at the half and added five more in the third period, while the Mounties managed only one goal in the third for the 10-4 advantage heading into the final period.
Silva led the Mounties with three goals, while driver Rebecca Garcia had three assists.
Mt. SAC 9, Ventura 8
Ventura led 7-3 at the half, but the Mounties came roaring back and outscored the Pirates, 6-1 to win a close game.
DeAnda scored all three goals for Mt. SAC in the third to trail by one, 7-6, setting up the exciting finish in the final period.
Silva tied the game 7-7 with an assist from Urias at the 5:14 mark. That was followed by a goal from Ventura for its final lead of the game, 8-7. Driver Kaitlin Howard tied the game at 8-8 with 1:26 left, setting up the dramatic finish.
Mt. SAC was on a 6-5 player advantage and Mertins was counting down the last seconds for the team from the other end. Urias took a pass from Gamboa on one side of the goal and near the other side of the goal with just a second left on the clock put in the game-winner.
Urias, after the game just remembers say, "….I gotta shoot." And she did!!!
DeAnda led the Mounties with a game-high five goals and Silva had three steals.
Mt. SAC 14, Santa Monica 0
For the third time this season, Mertins and the Mounties defense recorded a shutout. The Mounties, behind four goals from Gamboa (5G) in the first period, took a 6-0 lead and never looked back.
Urias added three goals and had four steals, while Garcia added two goals and five steals.
Mt. SAC 14, Merced 2
The Mounties and Mertins were working on their fifth shutout of the season late in the game. But at the 3:44 mark and Mt. SAC leading 12-0, Merced scored and added one more goal with forty seven seconds left in the game.
Urias had four goals and five steals in the game, while Howard (2G, 2A) had a game-high six steals and Silva scored three goals.
The Mounties, with only two games remaining in conference action, host Chaffey on Wednesday. Game time is at 3:00 pm.
Long Beach CC and Cerritos remain tied for first at 4-0 in conference, while the Mounties are 4-1.
Mountie notes:
Urias (57) and DeAnda (56) are second and fourth in the state in goals scored, respectively, while Silva (37), Gamboa (33) and Garcia (32) are in the top five in assists. Urias (47) and Howard (42) are fourth and fifth in steals.
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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.