POUGHKEEPSIE, NY- The Iona College women's water polo took on the Wagner Seahawks Saturday afternoon, in the 2015 MAAC Championship Semifinals. Despite aggressive play on both ends of the pool, the number-three seeded Iona women's water polo team fell 18-12 to number-two seeded Wagner College.
Senior Jordan Carmody, junior Taylor Silva, junior Dana Andrea, and freshman Paige Neary led the Gaels (21-15) with two goals each. Junior Rebecca Matthews, sophomore Rebecca Koshy, freshman Kayla Allen, and MAAC Rookie of the Year Hannah Schultz scored one goal each.
Junior goalie Dana Delucchi recorded five saves and one steal, and senior Devin Green had two saves. On defense, the Gaels made seven steals, and drew five Seahawks ejections. Neary and Schultz drew two Wagner kick outs each, but Schultz was disqualified in the final period with three ejections. Andrea won all four swimoffs.
With just 0:27 gone in the match, Wagner struck first, followed by another goal with 5:19 left in the opening period for a 2-0 lead. But Silva's left-corner lob put the Gaels on the board 37 seconds later. Wagner scored again at the 2:56 mark, then on Iona's next possession, Andrea pulled the Gaels back within one 3-2. Wagner hit again with 57 ticks to go for a 4-2 advantage going into the second period.
The Seahawks needed only 37 seconds to increase their lead to 5-2, until Carmody struck to narrow that edge to two with 6:34 left in the second quarter. Wagner went back up by three a minutes later. That lead lasted only two seconds as Neary scored, followed by Silva to narrow Wagner's advantage to 6-5 with 5:13 left in the half. Four unanswered Wagner scores gave the Seahawks a 10-5 halftime lead.
Wagner hit three unanswered goals with one Iona score disallowed for a 13-5 lead with 4:29 to go in the third period. Carmody's second goal ended the Gael offensive drought at the four-minute mark. Wagner answered with another score, then Schultz found the back of the net with 1:52 to go and narrowed the Seahawk lead to 14-7. In the quarter's final minute, Wagner hit again, but Neary answered with a five-meter penalty goal, as the Seahawks led 15-8 at the period's end.
Matthews scored 43 seconds into the fourth quarter, but Wagner hit two straight goals in the next minute for a 18-10 advantage with 3:14 to go. Gael goals from Allen and Andrea in the closing three minutes narrowed the gap to 18-12, as the Seahawks held on for win.
The Maroon & Gold will face Villanova for third place on Sunday, Apr, 26.
