SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Santa Clara women's water polo team (4-4) ended the Bronco Invitational with a 14-8 victory over UC Merced. It was a complete team effort for the Broncos, who saw five players with two or more goals led by an All-Tournament type performance from senior driver
Kate Rodman, who added five to her tally, finishing the tournament with 12 goals. Junior utility
Megan Chambliss followed up a five goal performance yesterday against CSUMB with two goals today, while goalkeeper Hailey Tassell played 24 minutes in goal recording eight saves for the Broncos. The match featured a back-and-forth affair, but a five goal surge in the second period ultimately drove the Broncos to the hard-fought victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Back-to-back goals from Kate Rodman opened the scoring for the Broncos in the first period, but a Merced goal evened the score with a buzzer-beating goal to end the first period.
- Goals from Libby Slater, Megan Chambliss, and Sydney Maccabe gave the Broncos a three goal advantage to start the second period. A goal from Soph Harvey extended the Broncos advantage to 6-3, and Rodman scored her second of the game with a goal just before halftime to put the Broncos up 7-4 heading into the break.
- Chambliss and Slater added another one to their tallies, however, a goal from Claudette Asenjo, who scored five of Merced's eight goals, cut the lead to 9-6 halfway through period three. Back-to-back Rodman goals cemented a 10-6 Broncos lead heading into the final period.
- The Broncos ran away with the game in the fourth period outscoring Merced 4-2 behind another goal from Rodman, two from Chloe Rizof and one from Harvey, running away with the 14-8 victory.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- Kate Rodman again led the Broncos with five goals, bringing her total to a team leading 12 goals for the weekend.
- Chambliss added two, bringing her total to nine for the tournament.
- Hailey Tassell played 24 minutes in goal recording eight saves (32 overall for the weekend).
- Libby Slater and Chloe Rizof had two goals each, their first games this tournament with multiple goals scored.
- Claudette Asenjo led the scoring for Merced, scoring five of their eight goals.
UP NEXT
- The Broncos head up to Claremont, Calif. For the Claremont Convergence Tournament next weekend starting with a matchup on Friday, Feb. 28 with Cal Lutheran at 2 p.m.
