PASADENA, Calif. (Mar. 8, 2022) – Caltech Women's Water Polo returned to the Braun Pool Tuesday night to host Penn State Behrend in the first leg of a three-game homestand.

Looking to build off of their weekend win over Carthage College, the Beavers played a disciplined game and were quick to capitalize on the Lions' exclusions.  After scoring just one powerplay goal all season long, Caltech unloaded with four powerplay goals in six opportunities; Penn State Behrend only drew two exclusions and did not score either time.

After conceding the first goal, sophomore Emma Gurcan (Portland, Ore. / Lincoln) drew an ejection and scored the equalizer 18 seconds later, with senior Yuying Lin (Scarborough, Ontario / Victoria Park C.I.) assisting.  The Lions quickly answered, but then Gurcan drew another exclusion and passed to junior Amanda Piyapanee (Southlake, Texas / Carroll), who found the back of the net to tie the game 2-2 at the 4:17 mark of the opening frame.

In the second quarter, Gurcan drew yet another ejection against Penn State Behrend and sophomore Riya Shrivastava (Saratoga, Calif. / Lynbrook) made them pay.  And just before halftime, senior goalie Zoe Rock (Chappaqua, N.Y. / Horace Greeley) found Gurcan wide open to net the Beavers' first even-strength goal of the contest.

Rock played fearlessly despite not having a substitute available, making 14 saves with several coming at point blank range and one that grazed her head after caroming off the inside of the goal post. She also picked up a steal late in the game on an aggressive play well outside of the goal area.

Gurcan led with three goals, two assists, two drawn exclusions and two steals. Piyapanee trailed closely with pairs of goals, assists, drawn exclusions, and one steal. Shrivastava finished with two goals and a steal, and freshman Lana Lubecke (Honolulu, Hawaii / Kalani) was the other Beavers goal scorer with her tally in the third quarter.

Head Coach Jon Bonafede and the Beavers resume SCIAC play on Wednesday, Mar. 9 against Chapman University.