REDLANDS, Calif. — The Caltech women's water polo team competed in its first conference road game of the 2024 season on Saturday as the Beavers battled the University of Redlands. The hosting Bulldogs entered the contest ranked ninth in the nation among Div. III teams.

Caltech scored its first goal of the contest on a powerplay situation just a few minutes into the action, as junior attacker Lana Lubecke (Honolulu, Hawaii / Kalani) found sophomore center Mia Mutadich (London, U.K. / Notting Hill and Earling) who fired the ball from the inside to score.

The Beavers took advantage of another advantageous situation on their next possession as they drew another exclusion; this time it was senior attacker Emma Gurcan (Istanbul, Turkey / Lincoln HS) who found the back of the net to tie the contest at 2-2.

The two teams continued trading goals as Redlands scored again at the 2:26 mark, though Caltech answered with a goal of their own with 1:23 in the period as sophomore utility Maya Dickson (Atlanta, Ga. / North Atlanta) rocketed a shot past the goalkeeper to tie the game at 3-3.

The Bulldogs earned a two-score advantage in the second period though the Beavers responded with two goals from Mutadich, with one coming on a powerplay situation.

Gurcan nabbed two goals via penalty shots in the second half; she scored one more even strength goal with 3:53 remaining in the game before Dickson put in the team's final score up a player at the 2:52 mark.

Gurcan recorded one of the strongest SCIAC games of her career as she led the Institute with four goals and drew six exclusions and two penalties for eight total.

Sophomore goalkeeper Mahi Ravi (Mountain View, Calif. / Saratoga) came up with five saves; junior goalkeeper Elizabeth Field (Charlottesville, Va. / Monticello) stopped two. Five different Beavers earned at least one steal.

Caltech had five exclusions to the Bulldogs' 13; the Beavers were 4-for-10 on powerplay situations and won two of the four sprints. They outscored the hosts 3-2 in the final period.

It is Caltech's best result against Redlands in recent history.

Head coach Jon Bonafade and the squad will take on Macalester College this Tuesday, Mar. 12 at 5 p.m. in the group's final nonconference clash. Cheer on the Beavers in person and follow along online at gocaltech.com/coverage.

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