LOUDONVILLE, NY – Despite trailing by two goals or less until the closing minutes, and tying the game three times, the Iona College women's water polo team dropped a MAAC contest 9-7 to Wagner at Siena Sunday afternoon. Iona won its earlier contest of the day 15-4 over Villanova.
Against the Seahawks, senior Amy Olsen led the Gaels with four goals, while senior Sarah Hanly had two goals, and senior Erika Lauraitis had one. Freshman Rebecca Koshy added two assists. Senior tri-captain goalie Marisa Gaynor recorded seven saves and one steal. Junior Katie Stelnicki and sophomore Rebecca Matthews were disqualified with three kick-outs each.
Wagner scored first 15 seconds into the match, but Olsen answered 2:05 later to tie the score at one. The Seahawks scored with 1:21 left for a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. Hanly tied the game at two with 39 seconds into the second period, but Wagner reeled off three straight scores to lead 5-2 with 2:51 left. Olsen's second goal pulled Iona with two 5-3 at halftime.
Lauraitis' five-meter penalty shot narrowed the Wagner lead to 5-4 with 1:26 gone in the third period. The Seahawks regained a two-goal edge 6-4 at the 5:17 mark. Olsen then hit her third goal and Hanly her second to tie the score at six as the third period ended.
Wagner regained the lead 7-6 with 42 seconds gone in the fourth period. Despite the Gaels' aggressive defense, the Seahawks hit three consecutive goals to go up 9-6 with 2:15 left in regulation. Iona's only final-period goal was Olsen's fourth at 1:44.
In the 15-4 win over Villanova, Hanly and Olsen led the Gaels with five goals each, while and Lauraitis had two scores. Junior Jordan Carmody, sophomore Meghan Mahoney and Koshy scored one goal apiece. Playing goalie in the first half, Gaynor had three saves, while sophomore Dana Delucchi had four in the second half.
The Gaels struck first with Hanly's first goal 3:15 into the match, followed by two unanswered scores from Lauraitis, Mahoney, Koshy, and another from Hanly for a 6-0 lead at the end of the first period. In the second, Hanly and Olsen hit two goals each to give Iona a 10-0 halftime lead.
With Kelly playing his reserves, the Wildcats scored twice in the third period, as Carmody hit Iona's lone goal, but Iona led 11-2 going into the final quarter. Olsen and Hanly scored twice in the fourth quarter, while Villanova had two scores.
Iona travels to Brooklyn on Sunday for matches against St. Francis College and the Virginia Military Institute.
