THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's water polo team fell to Concordia University Irvine, 27-6, this afternoon at host California University Lutheran's Samuelson Aquatics Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on the second day of the Tina Finali Tournament.

The Lyons dip to 0-4 on the season, while the Golden Eagles improve to 6-5.

Concordia recorded a 33-23 shot advantage over Wheaton, while also owning a 20-11 steal margin.

Sophomore attacker Ryanna Ritting (Perkasie, Pa.) led the Lyons with a season-high four goals in addition to a game-high five steals and a drawn exclusion. First year center Avary Guge (Winchester, Calif.) netted a goal to go with an assist and five steals, while junior attacker Sophia Romo (Jupiter, Fla.) scored a goal. Sophomore goalie Fiona Swift (Red Hills, Pa.) allowed 15 goals in the first half, before yielding to junior keeper Amelia Brown (Acton, Mass.), who turned away two of 14 shots.

Sophomore utility player Kimorah Wong (Laie, Hawaii) topped all players with eight goals and added a steal, a field block and a drawn exclusion for the Golden Eagles. First year attacker Myley Mendiburu (Bakersfield, Calif.) tallied eight points, including three goals in addition to four steals and a drawn exclusion. First year center Madison Emerson (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and first year center defender Sydney Neilon (Pearland, Texas) each netted three goals and added an assist. First year goalie Tiffani Hunter (Stockton, Calif.) stopped five of 11 shots in 24 minutes, while junior goalie Jaden Soto (Murrieta, Calif.) did not face a shot in a quarter of play.

Concordia scored the first five goals of the game, capped by a marker from Emerson to give the Golden Eagles a 5-0 lead with 5:22 to play in the opening quarter. Ritting cracked the scoring column for Wheaton with a goal just 20 seconds later to make it 5-1. Concordia closed out the quarter with eight straight goals and scored the first marker of the second quarter to give the Golden Eagles a 14-1 cushion with 6:49 left in the second period. 

The Lyons tallied two of the next three goals, including a pair of scores from Ritting to cut the deficit to 15-3 at the 2:24 mark of the second quarter. Concordia netted the next three goals, including two from Wong, to increase the Golden Eagles' lead to 18-3 with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter. Wheaton scored two of the next three goals again with markers from Romo and Guge to pull the Lyons within 19-5 with 90 seconds to go in the period.

Concordia ripped off three more scores, including a pair from Wong, to take a 22-5 advantage at 6:32 of the fourth quarter. Ritting closed out Wheaton's scoring with a goal coming at 5:36 of the quarter, before the Golden Eagles netted the game's final five markers.

The Lyons return to the pool on Saturday, February 28 when they head to Erie, Pa. to take on Mercyhurst University in the first round of the Robinette Memorial Tournament, while Concordia plays California Lutheran University today at 5:00 p.m. EST.