Fernanda Fantastic As PCC Women's Water Polo Begins '19 Season

An All-South Coast Conference Second Team selection last year, Fernanda Alvarez has established herself as the go-to scorer for the 2019 Pasadena City College women's water polo team. The center forward scored seven goals in the team's season-opening win, 14-10 win over Santa Monica and netted 12 overall at the LA Valley Mini Tournament played Saturday.

Alvarez, from Pasadena High, was proficient on PCC's power play as she scored four times in the SMC victory with the player advantage. She nearly helped rally the Lancers who were down 9-3 before losing 11-10 in the second match against San Diego Miramar. Alvarez scored twice in the fourth period and sophomore teammate Erandy Wells scored with 2:52 left that cut the deficit to one.

Against Santa Monica, Marissa Lopez and Chloe O'Connor (and five assists) each scored three goals and the team reached the net on 58 percent of their shots (14-for-24). Jackie Collier made three saves as the starting goalie in the first half and Erin Coad had three saves in the second half. Carolina Lopez also scored a goal.

In the Miramar defeat, O'Connor again scored a hat trick (six goals for the entire afternoon) while Lopez had a goal, four assists and made four steals. Coad had five steals overall and five saves as the first-half netminder.

"We have a strong starting lineup and a group of players that are savvy in the pool," PCC head coach Terry Stoddard said. "I thought we showed very good team chemistry in the opening win and we followed the game plan with a balanced attack. Fernanda is a great talent with a powerful arm, and we had some inspired play too by Marissa who scored early goals in both matches to get us going. We came out slow v. Miramar, but then made adjustments and came almost all the way back in the second half (outscored the Jets, 6-2 in the final two quarters). We had our opportunities to tie it but just didn't capitalize."

Stoddard is excited about the two incoming freshmen from Arcadia High in O'Connor, a 5-foot-6 attacker, and the athletic Collier, who will play both goalie and in the field for the Lancers. Marissa Lopez is a key attacker with strong game vision from El Rancho High and Carolina Lopez played her prep water polo at Eagle Rock HS. Wells, Coad and Lori Nalbandian are all products of Pasadena High. 

Meleenae Goumrikian is the team's third returning sophomore and the 10-player roster is rounded out by newcomer Anna Herrin, a defender from Clark Magnet. 

The Lancers next will open the South Coast Conference schedule on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at Chaffey College. Game time is 3 p.m. PCC's home opener at the Aquatic Center is Oct. 9 against Long Beach City College. 

Here is a link to this year's Pasadena schedule:

https://pasadena.prestosports.com/sports/wwaterpolo/2019-20/schedule