La Verne Kicks Off Season With Chapman Tournament

The University of La Verne women's water polo team kicked off the 2009 season with a tournament hosted by Chapman University last weekend in Orange. They took on Cal State San Bernadino, Grove City College, as well as conference opponents Pomona-Pitzer and Whittier College, but were unable to come away with a win.

The Leopards started the tournament facing Pomona-Pitzer, and it was Freshman Liz Roberts that put La Verne on the board. Melinda Fairman, Ashley Foresberg, Catherine Tehuitzil, and Roberts would add goals, but it wouldn't be enough, as La Verne would drop in a 14-5 decision. Second game of the day came against the Coyotes of Cal State San Bernadino, where Roberts would add her third goal of the day, and Foresberg would tally her second. But the Leopards would fall short, and San Bernadino would win 18-2.

La Verne would take on Grove City College Sunday morning, and would come out to play their best defense of the tournament. Although Fairman and Roberts would score goals in the final quarter, it was not enough, and the Leopards would fall in a 10-2 final.

ULV would match up against Whittier College for the final game of of the tournament. La Verne's goalie Lindsay Jones made some big stops during several exclusions and penalties, and the Leopards would find themselves trailing by two at the end of the first half. Fairman would score twice, and Diane Aquayo would add three goals, but Whittier would pull away in the second half to win the match 15-5.

Fairman and Roberts would end the tournament with four goals each, and Aquayo would finish with three. Jones had an average of over 10 saves per match after the weekend.

La Verne will resume action next weekend as they head up to Thousand Oaks for the Cal Lutheran Tournament. The first game will start at 11:00.