Feb. 20, 2009

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- After a week away from regular season competition, the Santa Clara women's water polo came back from their bye week with a shorthanded team ready to compete. The Broncos, who had two field players split time in goal, maintained an aggressive composed mode of play, while possession was back-and-forth and the lead changed or tied at 11 different points. After concluding the first half down, 4-3, the Broncos came back in the third quarter to tie it at six-all. In the final quarter of play, the SCU took an immediate, 7-6, lead, only for Baptist to answer back 37 seconds later with a tying score. Two minutes later Santa Clara took over the lead again, only for the Lancers to respond again with an eight-all goal. At the 1:42 minute mark, freshman Laura Espinosa scored SCU's, 9-8, go ahead goal, but a battling Cal Baptist team broke down the Bronco defensive line to tie the game at, 9-9, with just over a minute left to play. As the end of regulation approached, Espinosa got the ball outside the cage. The composed utility player then blasted it past the Lancer's goalie to score the game-winning goal and lead the Bronco's to a, 10-9, victory at the Sullivan Aquatic Center.

"Today was a really good game for us," said head coach Keith Wilbur. "All of our active players stepped up, especially our freshmen Marina (Allen) and Laura. Laura had a fantastic all-around game for us. Everyone contributed and stayed in the game, which shows a lot of character."

With starting goalie Wren White out with an injury, senior Claire Linney took over duties in the cage for a quarter-and-a-half, posting two blocks and a steal. Junior Meg Zimmerman, who had two goals and two steals in the game, replaced Linney in goal in the Broncos third win at home this season. Zimmerman tallied four blocks in the cage.

In the field, Allen had a strong game for SCU, as she scored two goals, had two assists and a steal. The always consistent Lamb sister's, Allie and Amy, combined for five assists, a goal and two steals. Defensively, Maria Jarrell and Rochelle Stowe tallied a steal apiece, in the Broncos' thrilling win.

"We will go into tomorrow's game versus Pacific with a similar approach," said Wilbur. "It is great to have a game like this under our belt and it gives us momentum going into the rest of the season. We hopefully will have all of our players healthy in the next coming weeks."

Santa Clara will go on the road tomorrow, as they face University of Pacific in Stockton, Calif. tomorrow. Game time is set for. 3 p.m.

Santa Clara 10, California Baptist 9

Goals
Allen - 2, Fraser - 1, Amy Lamb - 1, Zimmerman - 2, Espinosa - 3, Linney - 1

Assists
Allie Lamb - 1, Allen - 2, Amy Lamb - 4, Hildebrand - 2, Harkins - 1

Steals
Stowe - 1, Jarrell - 1, Allen - 1, Amy Lamb - 2, Zimmerman - 3, Espinosa - 1, Linney -1

Kick Outs Drawn
Stowe - 1, Espinosa - 2, Linney - 2

Blocks
Linney - 2, Zimmerman - 4