The Varsity Blues women's water polo team opened its 2020 California NCAA competition tour by splitting a pair of games at the Bulldog Invitational at the University of Redlands.
 
The Blues began the day facing off against the Whittier College Poets. The Poets scored three unanswered goals to open the game and easily shut down the Blues attacks.  Then, with only nineteen seconds left in the quarter, sophomore Sara Sutherland (Regina) got the Blues on the board.  However, any momentum was immediately turned back over to the Poets as a defensive mix-up allowed Whittier to get its fourth goal of the quarter with only three seconds remaining. 
 
The Blues started to get some life, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and scored the only goal of the second quarter when freshman Kaitlyn Palmer (Ottawa) scored on the counterattack half way through.
 
Toronto continued to try and build a sustained attack and was rewarded with a goal out of the center by junior assistant captain Caitlyn Tiedje (Calgary), which pulled the Blues to within one goal.  However, defensive lapses again plagued the Blues and the Poets rebounded with a pair of goals to head into the final frame up 6-3.
 
The Blues again stiffened on defence to shut out the Poets in a quarter and then got a pair of markers from sophomore Sarah Wentling (Mohnton, Pennsylvania) to set up a thrilling finish.  After yet another defensive stand, the Blues got the ball back with half a minute to go and called time out to set up a designed play.  The play generated an excellent scoring opportunity but Sutherland's shot from five meters out missed the mark and the Blues fell 6-5.
 
Senior co-captain goalie Rachael Jaffe (Irvine, California) was simply outstanding throughout the contest making a dozen saves, many of the spectacular variety and making an amazing six steals.
 
After less than two hours rest, the Blues were back in the water to face the host university of Redlands Bulldogs.
 
The teams traded goals at the half way mark of the opening period but the Blues offence then got going as Sutherland and sophomore Ali Vas (Yorba Linda, California) with her second of the game both scored in the last minute of the quarter sending the Blues to the first break ahead 3-1.
 
Neither team could score in a pedestrian second quarter as both offences stalled.
 
Palmer put the Blues out in front 4-1 right after freshman Lauren Dundee (Perth, Scotland) won the swim off to start the second half of play.  However, the Bulldogs responded with a goal on a deflected shot to cut their deficit to two before Palmer on the power play and Sutherland on a rebound pushed Toronto's advantage to 6-2 heading into the final quarter.
 
The Bulldogs scored a pair of outside shot goals sandwiched around a Dundee outside shot marker and the Blues came away with a 7-4 victory.
 
Jaffe again was almost impenetrable in the Blues cage and was instrumental in the Blues holding the Bulldogs to one goal in six power play chances.  The Blues did not fair well either going 0 for 3 on the power play and also missing two penalty shots.
 
After a well-deserved day off to rest and recuperate, the Blues will travel north to Los Angeles to face Occidental University on Tuesday night.