Billy Ray Lopez
Sports Information Graduate Assistant

LA VERNE, CA — Jassmine Kezman did it all for the Leopards Friday afternoon. The seniors led all players with seven goals and grabbed saves and the University of La Verne women's water polo team led the visiting Chapman Panthers 11-9 heading into the fourth quarter. 

But Chapman responded in the final period, outscoring La Verne 5-2 in the quarter to beat the Leopards 14-13.

The Leopards were short-handed on Saturday afternoon and got creative starting the three-time All American attacker Kezman at goalie and giving a total of five of their players a chance at playing in the cage. 

La Verne scored early getting goals from Sumi Rudisky and Sam Sanchez, but Chapman kept up responding with two early goals as well. The game was tied 2-2 when Kezman from her goalie position joined the attack and buried a shot in the back of the cage to give the Leopards a 3-2 lead. La Verne added another goal by Bianca Sanchez and held a 4-2 lead as the clock winded down for the first quarter. With two seconds left in the first quarter, Kezman stopped a shot attempt and shot the ball from across the length of the pool to score her second goal of the quarter and La Verne had a 5-2 lead at the end of the first. 

La Verne tried out a couple more goalies in the second quarter giving time to both Rudisky and Bianca Sanchez. La Verne added three more goals in the second, all from Kezman, but let in five from Chapman to hold on to just a one goal lead at the half, 8-7. 

In the third quarter, La Verne continued to experiment giving time to Sam Sanchez and Kristina Mariani at goalie. A tightly contested match continued in the third quarter but La Verne outscored Chapman 3-2 in the third, getting goals from Kezman and two from Rudisky to take an 11-9 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Chapman came out firing in the fourth, scoring four straight unanswered goals to take a 13-11 lead with 4:27 left in the game. La Verne's Alyssa Ono beat the Chapman goalie to bring La Verne within one at 13-12 with just four minutes left. Chapman added another goal from their leading goal scorer of the game Leighanne Estabrook to once again give them a two goal lead at 14-12. Kezman found the back of the cage for the seventh time of the game to make it 14-13 with 1:27 left in the game. La Verne was unable to find the equalizer and lost 14-13 to the Chapman Panthers. 

Kezman added two steals with her offensive explosion. Rudisky finished with three goals and one assist. Ono, Bianca Sanchez, and Sam Sanchez each added one goal apiece as well for the Leopards. 

The Leopards end the abbreviated season 1-2 overall. Chapman ends with a record of 2-5.