ELAC water polo splits two at SCC Championships

WALNUT, CA —  The East Los Angeles College water polo team extended its season to one more game after splitting two at the South Conference Championships at the Marie T. Mills Aquatics Facility at Mt. SAC.

ELAC defeated Rio Hondo College for the third time this season, this time a 21-10 victory that moved the Huskies to the 5th place game. ELAC opened the tournament with an 18-7 loss to Chaffey College.

Against Rio Hondo, the Huskies matched their season-high nine goals in one period and led 9-0 after the first frame. ELAC pressed and created Rio Hondo mistakes and turnovers.

The Husky goals were scored from sophomore Sophia Gonzalez (Harvard-Westlake High School) who scored three, two each from sophomore Jessenia Barberena (Mark Keppel HS) and freshman Amy Cervantes (Montebello HS) and one each from freshman Caitlyn Woo (Mark Keppel HS) and freshman Allyson Jimenez (Montebello HS).

The Huskies led, 13-3 after two quarters. Freshman Elizabeth Melendrez (Mark Keppel HS) scored two goals in the second period as did Rio Hondo’s Maribel Solis. Adding one goal each for ELAC were Jimenez and Cervantes. The Huskies led 18-7 after three quarters.

Gonzalez scored a game-high eight goals in the win and had a game-high six steals. Freshman ELAC goalie Alejandra Gazpar (Maywood HS) had 11 saves for the Huskies.

Against Chaffey, three Huskies scored two goals each, Woo, Jimenez and Cervantes. Gonzalez scored a goal and had a game-high six steals. Gazpar had six saves for the Huskies.

The Huskies meet Pasadena City College tomorrow in the 5th/6th place game at the Mt. SAC pool at 9:45 a.m.

Follow ELAC Athletics at http://athletics.elac.edu/landing/index and ELAC Huskies Athletics on Facebook.

story submitted by Tadzio Garcia