CLAREMONT, Calif. - Isabel Del Villar led the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team with three points (two goals, one assist) and three steals, but top-ranked Pomona-Pitzer was able to get off to a 4-0 start and take a 10-5 win over the Athenas on Wednesday evening at Axelrood Pool. 

CMS slips to 10-2 in league play and 14-11 overall with the loss, and will be the second seed in next week's SCIAC Tournament, hosting third-seeded Cal Lutheran. Pomona-Pitzer moved to 11-0 in the conference with the win, and secured the No. 1 seed. 

Grace Rich scored the first goal for CMS at the 3:37 mark of the second quarter to make the score 4-1, but the Sagehens answered back with the last goal of the half to take a 5-1 lead into the break. Fiona Murphy scored for the Athenas early in the third to cut the deficit to 6-2, but that was as close as CMS could come. 

The 10-5 final was actually the inverse of the first meeting between the teams this year at the CSU Fullerton Invitational, when CMS won 10-5. Pomona-Pitzer won the first conference meeting at home 12-11. 

CMS will face Cal Lutheran next Thursday night at 7 p.m. for the right to advance to the championship game on Saturday, April 18. The two semifinal winners will also receive automatic bids to the USA Water Polo Division III Championship, which will be held on April 25-26 at the site of the SCIAC tournament champion.