The Caltech Women's Water Polo Team fell Saturday 19-1 to Occidental College in their opening match of the SCIAC season. The Beavers were outmatched from the get-go by the SCIAC Championship hopefuls. A 5-0 opening frame set the tone and dashed any hopes of the upset bid. The stronger, faster Tigers imposed their will from the outset, and the Beavers crash was a stroke too late as the Tigers' center-game proved too much to deal with early on.

The second quarter was much more evenly matched, as the Techers defense settled in, and offensive ball control improved, slowing the counter-attack. The double and triple team arrived on time in set, allowing standout Goalkeeper Panna Felsen (captain, grad-student) to continue her dominating play, pulling down outside shots with ease. She finished the quarter with 5 saves, and had 12 in the game to go along with her pair of steals.

The Beavers committed more players to offense in the third period, with First Year Hanna Dodd creating a number of chances, which left the door open again to the Tiger counter-attack. Oxy's best quarter saw seven different players reach the scoresheet, including First Year Tessa Mariano-Brofferio, who led all scorers with four in the game.

The fourth quarter saw the Beavers net their only goal of the match. First Year Karen Dowling slipped into open water on a broken 6-on-5 play, and was left unmarked by the Oxy zone defense. She fired home for her fourth goal of the season, assisted by Sophomore Erin Hoops.

The Beav's look forward to a busy week coming up, with three contests, including two SCIAC matches. Hitting the road Wednesday, the Beavers take on CMS in Claremont, and come back home to Braun Pool for a Friday rematch against the Chapman Panthers at 5:00PM Friday. Saturday sends the Lady Beavers down to Whittier to take on the Poets in their third SCIAC match of the season.

GO TECH!!!