FRESNO, Calif. – McKendree University used two goals by junior utility player Shoshana Scanlon (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) in the final 96 seconds here Friday afternoon to help lead the Bearcats to a come-from-behind 13-12 win over Cal State Monterey Bay in the Western Water Polo Association Championship quarterfinals at the Fresno State Aquatics Center.
 
Scanlon's two goals in the final 1:36 of the game helped give the Bearcats the victory and send them to a semifinal match-up on Saturday, April 23 against Cal State East Bay at 12:45 p.m. PT. Cal State East Bay picked up a 15-3 quarterfinal win Friday against Mercyhurst.
 
With the win, McKendree improves to 16-5 on the season, while CSUMB falls to 2-17 on the year.
 
In Friday's game, the lead changed hands seven times, including McKendree outscoring the Otters 4-2 in the fourth period after CSUMB led 10-9 heading into the final period.
 
Scanlon was one of three Bearcats to record multiple goals in Friday's game as graduate student utility player Jaleh Moaddeli (Newport Beach, Calif./GWU) led the way with five goals and added two assists for seven points, while senior center Abigail Burton (Chino, Calif./Chino) added four goals in the win.
 
The Bearcats held a 31-22 edge in shots in the game but was just 1-for-6 on their power play chances. CSUMB went 3-for-13 on the powerplay.
 
McKendree jumped in front 4-2 just 18 seconds into the second period thanks to a goal by Moaddeli. The Bearcats lead grew to 5-3 following a goal by Burton with 5:25 left in the second period, but the Otters would close the first half by scoring three of the final four goals of the period to forge a 6-6 tie at halftime.
 
The Otters would open the third period by scoring the first three of the first four goals of the period to take a 9-7 lead with 3:11 left in the period. The Otters then used a goal by Shelby Fortune with 2:52 left in the period to push its lead to 10-7. The 10-7 lead was the biggest of the game for either team.
 
McKendree, though, would mount a rally as they closed the third period with goals by Burton and Moaddeli to pull within 10-9 after three periods. The Bearcats would open the fourth period with two straight goals by Moaddeli and Burton to take an 11-10 lead with 4:59 remaining in the game.
 
Katilin Rooney and Fortune would score back-to-back goals over a span of 90 seconds to take a 12-11 lead with 1:47 left in the game that set-up Scanlon's two goal flurry to seal the victory.
 
Rooney paced the Otters with three goals, two assists and four steals, while Fortune, Catalina Gillis and Kaya Ortega each had two goals in the game.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Sydney Kane (Bradley, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais), who was named the to WWPA All-Freshman Team on Thursday, picked up the win in goal for the Bearcats as she played the second half and allowed just six goals and made two saves.
 
Megan Taylor took the loss in goal for the Otters as she allowed 13 goals and made four saves.