THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Caltech women's water polo team competed in its penultimate road game of the season on Saturday as the group faced the No. 5 Regals of Cal Lutheran University.

The hosts scored the first goal of the contest in the first minute and a half of play, though the Beavers answered right back on their next offensive possession as senior attacker Emma Gurcan (Istanbul, Turkey / Lincoln HS) drew an exclusion. The group took advantage of the powerplay situation as sophomore attacker Madelyn Gilbert (Clovis, Calif. / Clovis East) found sophomore center Mia Mutadich (London, U.K. / Notting Hill and Earling) inside for the score.

Gurcan drew another exclusion at the 3:20 mark of the first period and Caltech again made the most of the advantage; Gilbert again helped distribute as she found sophomore utility Maya Dickson (Atlanta, Ga. / North Atlanta) for the goal.

The Beavers recorded their strongest quarter in the second as they tied the nationally-ranked foe in scoring, 3-3.

Mutadich nabbed her second goal of the day at the 6:09 mark before the team made it two-in-a-row as Dickson found Gilbert for a score on the next possession. The standout secured the hat trick with just over three minutes to go before halftime as she found the back of the net for the third time.

Mutadich made it four at the 4:32 mark of the third period before Gilbert recorded her second goal on the next offensive possession moments after she drew an exclusion on her defender.

Gurcan drew yet another exclusion with two seconds remaining in the period before rookie attacker Emma Titus (Hood River, Ore. / Hood River Valley) won the fourth quarter sprint.

The group again capitalized on the 6-on-5 advantage as Dickson fired a shot past the goalkeeper for the team's eighth goal of the contest.

Gurcan found Gilbert less than a minute later though the group could not catch up to the Regals as time expired.

Gilbert led the team with five points after scoring three times and notching two assists; Mutadich led the team in goals with four to tie the game high.

Titus tied Gilbert in assists with two apiece while Dickson and Gurcan each recorded three steals to lead all players from both teams. Gurcan led all players in exclusions drawn with five while Titus won three of the four sprints.

Caltech went 4-for-6 on powerplay situations (.667) to Cal Lu's 3-for-7 (.429).

Next up for head coach Jon Bonafede and the team is a home matchup against the No. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas on Wednesday, Apr. 10 at 7 p.m. Cheer on the Beavers in person and follow along online at gocaltech.com/coverage.

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