NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – The women's water polo team dropped both of their games in the CSUN Mini Invite to begin their six-game stretch out in the West Coast, as the team competed against RV Villanova University and No.23 California State University, Northridge on Thursday, March 5th in Northridge, California, as senior attacker Joey Rebelo amassed 262 career points to become McKendree's all-time leading scorer.
GAME ONE vs. Villanova
BOX SCORE
Score: McKendree University 7, Villanova University 19
Record: Bearcats 4-9, 0-0 WWPA | Wildcats 9-6, 0-0 MAAC
HOW IT HAPPENED
Junior center Bella Morquecho (Chicago, Ill.) drew first blood in the initial matchup in the Mini Invite and struck in another one five minutes subsequently after on a power play for her second after the Wildcats notched their first three goals of the contest. Senior attacker Joey Rebelo (Montreal, Québec, Canada) was able to put the ball inside as well to trail Villanova by just one.
Villanova started to get comfortable with their offensive schemes by going on a 5-2 run leading into the half, with reigning WWPA Offensive Player of the Week Shanelle Márquez (Madrid, Spain) converting on a five-meter penalty shot while junior attacker Mikayla Brown (Concord, Calif.) finding the back of the cage on her own with McKendree down 5-9 at the extended break.
Senior center defender Allie Diller (Grand Ledge, Mich.) earned her second goal of the season to open up period number three, but Villanova would control the match the resto of the way, scoring 10 unanswered to take a 13-point advantage. The freshman utility Charlie Monroe (The Woodlands, Texas) garnered a final shot with 21 ticks remaining in regulation, as the Bearcats would falter to the Wildcats 7-19.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• Morquecho led with a pair of goals on six shot attempts plus five exclusions drawn.
• Márquez, Rebelo, Brown, and Monroe each finished with one goal in the setback along with three steals combined amongst the trio. Márquez also tabbed two assists as Rebelo dished out one.
• Freshman goalkeeper Delaney Judkins (La Grange, Ill.) played all 32:00 minutes of the game and collected four saves and three steals.
• With her output, Rebelo now moves into first all-time in program history in total points (goals + assists).
GAME TWO vs. Cal State Northridge
BOX SCORE
Score: McKendree University 11, California State University, Northridge 20
Record: Bearcats 4-10, 0-0 WWPA | Matadors 11-4, 1-1 Big West
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a hot start as could be for CSUN, who would start the game off with seven straight goals that took the majority of the first quarter in their control. With under a minute left, senior attacker Dylan Murphy (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Rebelo finally got the Bearcats on the board with the latter of the two clutching it inside the post with nine seconds remaining in the period.
The high-scoring affair continued into the second period of action, where junior utility Hailey Munoz (Murrieta, Calif.) started off the fresh eight minutes with a scoring possession as Rebelo was able to get her second of the game and third of the Invite off a man-up opportunity. McKendree would still hang close to the Matadors with another late rally before the extended break as Morquecho made her presence felt once again on the offense while sophomore attacker Kaitlyn Goins (East Grand Rapids, Mich.) fired in her third goal of the season to be down 6-14 at the halfway point.
Another goal by Munoz began the third quarter in sufficient fashion for the traveling Bearcats, but a 4-0 Matador spurt increased the spread to put a damper on their gameplan for a good minute.
Down by double-figures in the last period of play, the Bearcats let it all out in the water as Morquecho, Rebelo, and Márquez, alongside sophomore attacker Maisie Mattocks (Shutesbury, Mass.) each tabbed one inside the net to outscore their opponents 4-2 in the final quarter, but fall short 11-20.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• Rebelo, Morquecho, and Munoz each led evenly with two goals each to their name.
• Brown, Murphy, Mattocks, and Márquez contributed one goal each as Murphy had a pair of assists.
• Junior attacker Emma Cramer (Brentwood, Calif.) also finished with one goal and three steals to go along with it.
• Freshman goalkeeper Daisy Wetherholt (Malibu, Calif.) played the full 32:00 minutes and recorded a trio of takeaways and six saves, including one on a penalty shot attempt.
UP NEXT
McKendree will be back in action tomorrow on Friday, March 6th for day one of the Convergence Tournament as they will face Azusa Pacific University at 1:30 PM CT, and later in the day against the University of Redlands at 6:30 PM CT with both matches at the Haldeman Pool in Claremont, California.
Neither game will have a live stream, although live stats will be provided to the public to tune in.
Make sure to keep up with McKendree University Water Polo on Instagram, X (Twitter), and TikTok. #NCAAwaterpolo
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