Whittier, Calif. – Riding a three-game winning streak from last weekend's West Valley Invitational, the Mt. SAC Women's Water Polo team opened South Coast Conference play in impressive fashion with an 18-2 victory over Rio Hondo on Wednesday, September 17. The Mounties appear to have found their rhythm, now sitting at 6-7 overall and climbing into the middle of the SCC standings. Meanwhile, the Roadrunners fall to 1-3 on the season with a .250 winning percentage.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Mt. SAC came out firing, with Jessica Luna scoring just 13 seconds into the game. The offensive onslaught continued with five more first-quarter goals, including strikes from Angelina Hernandez, Ava Mercado, Sariah Livingston, and a pair from Nathaly Mora.

The Mounties kept the pressure on in the second quarter, extending their lead with goals from Tiffany Caceres and two each by Kaylee Biehn and Mora. Mt. SAC went into halftime with a commanding lead, while Rio Hondo remained scoreless.

The third quarter saw no let-up from the Mounties. Several different players contributed to the scoring effort, including Audree Molenrich, Emily Narvaez, Sophia Alamo, and Sana Sakr. Despite the pressure, Rio Hondo managed to break through with two goals in the quarter, avoiding a shutout.

Defensively, the Mounties held strong. Rio Hondo managed 15 shots on goal, but Mt. SAC's trio of goalkeepers—Keira Bozek (7 saves), Riley McPheron (4 saves), and Arely Martinez (2 saves)—combined for 13 saves to secure the win.

NEXT UP:

The Mounties hit the road again for a conference matchup at East Los Angeles College (1-4) on Wednesday, September 24, with game time set for 3:00 PM.

STAY CONNECTED:

Follow Mt. SAC Women's Water Polo on Twitter @MTSAC_W_Aquatic or Instagram /mt.sacwomensaquatics/

Follow Mt. SAC Athletics on Twitter @MtSAC_athletics Instagram /mtsac_athletics/ or Facebook @Mountie.Athletics

For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.