THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Pomona Pitzer was trailing 7-5 in the 4th quarter when Laura Condon and Karen Bonner scored in the 4th quarter in back to back possession to tie the score. Naneh Apkarian put away the game winner with 1:11 left in regulation as the Sagehens become back-to-back conference champions.
Both teams traded two goals each in the opening quarter. Pomona Pitzer’s Tamara Perea netted both Sagehens scores while CLU’s Meredith Butte and Joy Cyprian scored their first of two goals apiece.
Pomona-Pitzer took a two-goal advantage of the game to open the second quarter after Nicole Ruesch scored with 2:29 left until halftime. The Regals managed to tie the game for the third time after Jill Jensen’s power play goal and Whitney Haroldson’s buzzer beater to knot the game up at 4-4.
Jensen added her second goal with 2:42 left in the third to give CLU its first lead of the game. However it would be short-lived as PP’s Janelle Gyorffy responded just two minutes later creating the fourth tie of the game.
Butte closed out the quarter with her second goal of the game and the team’s third six-on-five score. Cyprian gave the Regals its lone two-point margin scoring with 6:15 left in regulation.
The Sagehens comeback began on the ensuing possession as Laura Condon scored her second goal with 5:52 left, cutting the deficit to 7-6. Following a CLU turnover the PP counterattack created a quick exclusion and score for
Karen Bonner to net the equalizer just 14 seconds later.
The scoring was capped after Apkarian directed a shot that deflected off and by CLU goalkeeper Katie Windsor with just 71 seconds remaining.
Elena Peifer had eight saves in the victory. Tamara Perea and Laura Condon each finished with 2 goals. It was the Sagehen’s 2 straight SCIAC Championship.
