Panthers Go 2-2 at Battle of the Beach Tournament

The Chaffey College women's water polo team competed in four matches at the Battle of the Beach Tournament over the weekend, delivering two dominant wins and showing strong play against some of the region's top opponents. The Panthers opened with back-to-back victories on Friday against Rio Hondo College and Southwestern College before closing the tournament against Ventura College and Cypress College on Saturday. Sarah Alexander led the Panthers offensively with multi-goal performances in every match, while Elise Camarena, Kaylee Pfalmer, and Alyssa Garcia provided consistent scoring and playmaking efforts. Goalkeepers Annemarie Marcucci and Savannah Shaw were strong in the cage, combining for 37 saves across the four contests.

Chaffey opened play on Friday morning with a dominant 24-8 win over Rio Hondo College. The Panthers controlled the tempo from the start, establishing a 12-5 halftime lead behind early goals from Alexander, Camarena, and Garcia. Alexander led the offense with two goals and three assists in the first half, while Aubrey Castillo and Pfalmer contributed to the Panthers' first-half surge. Chaffey maintained its offensive momentum in the second half, outscoring Rio Hondo 12-3 behind a balanced attack that featured 10 different goal scorers, including late conversions from Shaw and Sofia Padilla. Goalkeeper Marcucci recorded 10 saves in the cage, directing a defense that effectively transitioned into fast break scoring opportunities.

In their second matchup of the day, the Panthers continued their strong form with a 15-3 win over Southwestern College. Alexander again led the offense with four goals and four assists, while Camarena added three goals and three assists. Castillo and Pfalmer each netted two goals as Chaffey built a 5-1 first half lead and never looked back. Shaw was steady in goal with eight saves, as the Panthers' defensive pressure held Southwestern to just one goal per quarter.

The Panthers battled in their third game on Saturday morning, falling 9-6 to Ventura College in one of their most competitive matches of the weekend. Chaffey started quickly to a 4-2 lead behind goals from Alexander, Camarena, and Pfalmer. Despite several scoring chances in the third and fourth quarters, the Panthers were unable to complete the comeback.

Chaffey wrapped up the tournament on Saturday afternoon against host Cypress College, dropping a 15-8 decision. The Panthers were persistent throughout the match, cutting the early deficit with goals from Pfalmer and Garcia in the first quarter. After halftime, Alexander and Camarena combined to ignite the attack, connecting on multiple goals to narrow the margin. Alexander netted three goals, all assisted by Camarena, who also scored twice and provided another assist late in the match. Goalkeepers Marcucci and Shaw shared time in goal, totaling seven saves.

The Panthers will return home for a South Coast Conference matchup on Wednesday, Oct. 29, hosting Rio Hondo College at 4:30 p.m. at the Aquatic Center.