May 3, 2009

Grove City takes 8th

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Grove City College women's water polo team concluded the 2009 season this weekend by placing eighth at the Collegiate III National Championships, hosted by California Lutheran University. Grove City went 1-4 in five matches and finishes the season with a 13-13 overall record. That is the second-best mark, percentage-wise, in the 10-year history of the program.

Grove City opened play Friday with a pair of setbacks in pool play. The Wolverines opened the tournament with an 11-5 loss to Occidental. In the second match of the day, UC-Santa Cruz slipped past Grove City 9-4. Saturday, the Wolverines downed Macalester 7-4 in pool play before falling to longtime rival Washington & Jefferson 8-7.

Sunday, Grove City concluded the tournament with a 10-4 setback against Macalester in the seventh-place match.

Senior Liza McRuer (Irvine, Calif./University) paced Grove City with three goals against Occidental while freshman Chelsea Johnson (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) scored twice. Junior Amanda Thompson (Erie, Pa./McDowell) assisted on two goals.

McRuer recorded seven steals on defense while freshman goalkeeper Amy Fleming (Annandale, Va./Annandale) made eight saves.

McRuer scored twice against UC-Santa Cruz while Thompson and junior Kate Stiebler (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) each scored once. Fleming stopped five shots.

Saturday, five different Wolverines scored in the victory over Macalester. Thompson fired in three goals while sophomore Lauren Baur (North Wales, Pa./North Penn), senior Whitney Baur (North Wales, Pa./North Penn), McRuer and Stiebler all scored once each. Stiebler also assisted on four goals while Lauren Baur and Johnson both had one assist apiece.

Lauren Baur also recorded five steals and blocked two shots in the field. Fleming made five saves in goal.

Grove City registered 38 shots against W&J but fell into the seventh-place match with the 8-7 defeat. McRuer picked up three goals while Stiebler scored two. Johnson and sophomore Brittany LaPalme (Hollywood, Fla./Thomas Aquinas) each scored once. Thompson tallied three assists while Lauren Baur had one assist.

McRuer had five steals while in goal, Fleming stopped three shots.

Grove City wrapped up the tournament Sunday by falling to Macalester in the seventh-place match. LaPalme scored two goals while Stiebler and Thompson each added individual goals. McRuer assisted on two goals while Thompson had one assist.

Lauren Baur picked up five steals with McRuer adding four steals.

Grove City will lose Whitney Baur, Monica Gigliotti (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and McRuer to graduation.

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