Panthers Win Big at Home Opener

The Chaffey College women's water polo team opened the 2025 season with a dominant performance, earning a 16-3 win over Santa Monica College at the Aquatic Center. The Panthers controlled the tempo from the opening sprint and never looked back, combining balanced scoring with sharp execution in frontcourt play.

The game also marked the debut of head coach Jordan Ellis, who guided the Panthers to a decisive first win. The win is a strong start to Ellis's career, as the team showed cohesion, energy and composure on both ends of the pool.

Alyssa Garcia stood out offensively, netting eight goals and adding two assists to fuel Chaffey's attack. Sarah Alexander added five goals, including two in the second quarter that stretched the lead to 9-2 at halftime. Aubrey Castillo tallied three assists and added a goal, while Mikaela Hernandez and Ani Babayan each contributed with timely goals and assists to keep the offense generating opportunities.

The Panthers dominated the second quarter, netting seven goals in the frame to break the game open. Chaffey continued to execute in transition and on power-play opportunities, finding the back of the cage consistently across four periods.

Goalkeeper Annemarie Marcucci turned away five shots to control the cage, while the field defense held the Corsairs scoreless in the third quarter. Chaffey's back line was disciplined through exclusions, limiting second-chance looks and keeping the Corsairs under pressure throughout the game.

The Panthers will return to the Aquatic Center on Saturday, September 6, to host LA Valley College at 11:00 a.m.