Siena Water Polo competed in a double overtime contest for the first time since 2013, Friday evening, picking up a win in the second game of a doubleheader to begin play at the Claremont Convergance in Claremont, California. The Saints dropped a 13-8 decision to Whittier before coming out with a win in a double overtime duel against Fresno Pacific, 9-8.
 
After picking up their first-ever win over the University of Redlands Thursday evening, The Saints (5-8) entered competition at the prestigious west coast tournament, hosted by Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, for the first time since 2014.
 
Siena kept pace with the Poets in the first period, with the score 4-3 after eight minutes of play. After Sophia Torres temporarily tied the game in the beginning of the second quarter, Whittier put together three straight goals to take a 7-4 lead at the half. Torres and Daniella Fuertes would then score back-to-back goals to cut the deficit to one heading into the middle of the third, but the Poets used the final 12 minutes to pull away, outscoring the Saints 6-4 thereafter. Torres (three goals) and Fuertes (two goals) each compiled multi-scoring efforts, while seniors Kennedy Joseph and Nichol Feldtz split time in-goal, with each making two saves.
 
Following a three-hour hiatus, the Saints returned to the Haldeman Pool to face the Sunbirds for the fifth time in program history. Beginning what would least to its lowest scoring victory in nearly two seasons, Siena used a pair of goals from sophomore Kristen Burger to take a 2-1 advantage into the second period. The teams would endure a back-and-forth struggle during the next quarter, with the Sunbirds grabbing a 4-3 lead at one point, and Diana Fernandez and Georgia Vargas both scoring to keep pace. Fernandez would find the net with 26 seconds remaining in the half to give the Saints a 4-3 advantage at the break.
 
The first seven-and-a-half minutes of the third quarter would feature a combined four steals and nine missed shots between the two teams because each squad traded goals heading into the final stanza. Borton responded to a game-tying goal from the Sunbirds with 29 seconds remaining by netting her own off a pass from Fernandez with just a second remaining, making it 6-5 Saints entering the fourth. A Fresno Pacific goal with 6:22 remaining and an ensuing power struggle would take the game down into the final minute of play at a 6-6 tie. The Sunbirds took a timeout at 49 seconds left and scored with 27 ticks in the game, but Fernandez fired back 13 seconds later to tie the game and secure a hat trick.
 
After winning a sprint almost immediately into overtime, Fresno Pacific scored with just 20 seconds off the clock, forcing the Saints to find the net in a hurry. Burger secured a hat trick of her own, scoring at the 1:19 mark off a Fernandez assist to give the Saints their first double-overtime affair since 2013. After a sprint won by the Sunbirds and a turnover from each team, Fresno Pacific lost the ball on an offensive turnover, at which Siena took a timeout. Fernandez then netted the game-winner with 40 seconds left to give the Saints their second west coast victory in three games to mark the first time since 2015 that they have won multiple games in California. Kennedy put together a stellar performance in-net for the team, stringing together 11 crucial saves to pick up her second win of the year in-goal.
Following the win, Siena will finish out its weekend in California with a pair of contests Saturday afternoon, taking on Occidental at 12 PM EST and Caltech at 5 PM EST.