March 1, 2010

Grove City concludes California trip

ORANGE, Calif. -- The Grove City College women's water polo team went 1-3 at the Chapman University Tournament Saturday and Sunday at Allred Pool. The Wolverines (1-4) concluded the tournament Sunday evening with an 11-6 victory over La Verne, giving first-year head coach Jonathan Miller his initial win at Grove City.

Saturday, Grove City dropped an 8-7 decision to host Chapman in the tournament opener. Saturday evening, Occidental earned a 15-6 win over the Wolverines.

In Sunday's first match, Whittier downed Grove City 9-3.

Senior Amanda Thompson paced Grove City against La Verne by firing in four goals while sophomore Chelsea Johnson (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) scored three times in the victory. Sophomore Brittany LaPalme (Hollywood, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) pumped in pair of goals while senior Kate Stiebler (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and junior Lauren Baur (North Wales, Pa./North Penn) each scored once.

Freshman goalkeeper Amanda Johnson (San Luis Obispo, Calif./San Luis Obispo) earned her first collegiate victory in goal after blanking La Verne in the fourth quarter. She recorded 11 saves.

Chelsea Johnson scored twice in the fourth period against Chapman Saturday but Grove City could not fully erase a four-goal deficit. Johnson finished with four goals while Stiebler scored twice. Thompson also scored in the final period.

Stiebler recorded three goals and a pair of assists Saturday against Occidental. Chelsea Johnson scored twice while Thompson also scored. Baur and junior Allison White (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield) each assisted on a goal. Amanda Johnson stopped 10 shots in goal.

Whittier jumped out to a 5-0 lead by halftime in Sunday's opener en route to the win. Baur, Stiebler and Thompson all scored goals for the Wolverines.

Grove City will return to action Friday with a pair of Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III games at Chatham University in Pittsburgh. The Wolverines face Wheaton (Ill.) at 4 p.m. and then meet Chatham at 8:30 p.m.

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