Panthers Earn Second Straight Conference Win Over East LA

The Chaffey College women's water polo team earned its second consecutive South Coast Conference victory on Wednesday afternoon, defeating East Los Angeles College 13-7. The Panthers delivered a dominant all-around performance, overcoming an early deficit with a decisive defensive effort and an explosive second half.

Chaffey fell behind 7-4 after the opening period but completely locked down defensively the rest of the way, shutting out East Los Angeles over the final three quarters. Elise Camarena powered the offense with a team-high six goals and three assists, including back-to-back conversions in the third period to tie and then give the Panthers the lead. Mikaela Hernandez followed with two goals and three assists, while Sarah Alexander added two goals and two assists to pace the attack.

The Panthers' late surge was fueled by balanced execution and quick ball movement. Camarena, Hernandez, and Sarah Villa connected on three straight goals to open the fourth quarter and put the game out of reach. Additional goals from Alyssa Garcia, Alexander, and Savannah Shaw sealed the win. In the cage, Annemarie Marcucci and Shaw combined for 12 saves, anchoring a defense that held East Los Angeles to just six second-half shots.

With the win, Chaffey improves to 6-3 overall and 2-4 in South Coast Conference play. The Panthers will next compete at the Battle of the Beach Tournament hosted by Long Beach City College, beginning Friday, Oct. 24, against Rio Hondo College at 10:45 a.m. They'll return to action on Saturday, Oct. 25, with a matchup against Ventura College at 10:45 a.m.