ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's water polo team rallied from an four-goal fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game and force overtime, only to fall to visiting Siena College (N.Y.) 10-9 in 'golden goal' overtime at the Allred Pool on Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers nearly upset their second Division I opponent of the season, having already beaten Sonoma State earlier this month.
Chapman (4-8) trailed 8-4 with 2:46 left in the game before scoring four unanswered goals, including the equalizer with just 2.5 seconds left on the clock. Freshman 2-meter Emily Fong almost tied the game with a shot from the left side, but it hit the right post and junior utility Riley Ford was there for the rebound and scored her game and season-high fifth goal to send it to overtime. Ford scored three of her five goals in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers then jumped on top in the first overtime frame on a goal from sophomore driver Miranda Estrella to give them their first lead since the first quarter at 9-8. But Siena (4-7) came back in the second OT to score with 1:34 remaining and junior utility Stephanie Bundas scored the game-winner just 24 seconds into sudden-death, a floater just out of the reach of Chapman's junior goalie Jordan Gilmore. Bundas finished with a team-high four goals for the Saints.
Gilmore and junior goalie Kirsten Spicer combined for 12 saves and three steals for Chapman.
The Panthers travel to the Cal Baptist Tournament on Friday and Saturday before opening up SCIAC play at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges next Wednesday, March 19 at 5 p.m.
by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director
Boxscore: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/wwaterpolo/2013-14/files/SC-CU.pdf
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