(CLAREMONT, Calif., Mar. 2) – The McKendree University women's water polo team suffered two loses in the Convergence Tournament to Whittier College and Concordia University.
 
McKendree fell to Whittier, 13-7 and Concordia, 18-15.
 
The Bearcats fall to 5-8 overall on the season.
 
Game One
The Bearcats fell behind early 2-0 before freshman Abigail Burton (Chino, CA/Chino High School) put McKendree on the board. Whittier quickly answered back before junior Brianna Mullalley (Chula Vista, CA/Eastlake High School) cut the Poets lead back to two. The Poets put two more on the board before Mullalley scored her second goal of the period. Whittier put two more in the back of the cage before Burton buried her second to put the Poets lead to 7-4. Freshman Kaitlyn Moguel (Tujunga, CA/Crescenta Valley High School) scored the last goal of the first period as the Bearcats would trail 7-5 after eight minutes.
 
Neither team would score in the second period and Whittier carried a 7-5 lead into the second half.
 
Burton and sophomore Emily Westlove (Naperville, IL/Naperville Central High School) scored goals in the second half for McKendree as they would fall 13-7 to Whittier College.
 
Freshman goalie Isabella Strimling () led the defense as she tallied four steals in the game.
 
Game Two
The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead before Mullalley put McKendree on the board. Freshman Maddy Bolton (Alta Loma, CA/Los Osos High School) countered Concordia keeping the lead at two. Freshman Erin Haff () and Mullalley added goals as the Bearcats would trail 6-4 after eight minutes.
 
Concordia added the first three goals of the second period before Mullalley continued her hot streak with the Bearcats fifth goal of the game. Westlove netted back to back goals in the second period but McKendree would trail 11-7 heading into halftime.
 
Mullalley and Bolton countered quickly into the second half cutting the lead to two. Concordia answered the Bearcats as they put in two goals of their own. Bolton scored her third goal of the game in the third period. Westlove scored her third goal with just under a minute left in the third period.
 
Westlove scored another goal to open the final period. Freshman Carley Manuel () put her first ball in the back of the cage to bring the Concordia lead to two. The Eagles would put two balls in the cage to push the lead back to four. Bolton would close the game with two goals as McKendree would be defeated 18-15 to the hands of Concordia University.
 
The Bearcats will close their California trip against Chapman University at 11:00a.m. PT