PRINCETON, NJ - In a see-saw match that was tied five times, including in the final period, the Iona women's water polo team fell 14-12 to nationally ranked #23 California Baptist University in the first of four games this weekend at the 2016 Princeton Invitational.
Senior Meghan Mahoney led Iona with three goals, while senior Rebecca Mathews and sophomore Hannah Schultz scored two each. Seniors Dana Andrea, Taylor Silva, Sara Bortz, junior Darby Nevins and freshman Kayla Allen added one goal each.
Senior goalie Dana Delucchi made six saves and two steals in the cage. On defense, the Gaels had seven steals, four by Andrea. Iona drew three Lancer kickouts, while being ejected 10 times with Allen and sophomore Karli Normand being disqualified.
Schultz put the Gaels on the board only 35 seconds into the match, followed by Mahoney, for a 2-0 Iona lead with 4:34 left the first quarter. But the Lancers hit two straight goals to tie the game at two at the 1:57 mark. Andrea needed only 55 seconds to put Iona back up 3-2, then Cal Baptist tied the match with 29 ticks left in the opening period.
Two straight scores by Mathews gave the Gaels a 5-3 advantage in the opening 1:08 of the second period. With four minutes gone, Cal Baptist narrowed the Iona edge to one 5-4. Allen gave the Gaels a two-goal edge 6-4 with 2:42 to halftime, then just 12 seconds later, the Lancers nailed a five-meter penalty shot to pull back within one 6-5. Mahoney hit her second goal with 1:30 left, but Cal Baptist answered to narrow Iona's lead to 7-6 at intermission.
The Lancers tied the match at seven just 43 seconds into the third quarter. Nevins and Silva put Iona back up 9-7 with three minutes gone. In the last 4:45 of the period, however, Cal Baptist hit four straight goals for a 11-9 lead going into the final period.
Mahoney's third goal just five seconds into the final period pulled the Gaels within one 11-10, until the Lancers answered with 6:41 left to go up 12-10. Schultz hit a five-meter penalty shot, followed by Bortz, to knot the game at 12, the match's fifth tie, with 4:41 on the clock. In the closing minutes, the Lancers hit two unanswered goals for the win.
The Gaels face California Lutheran tomorrow at 1 p.m., and Bucknell at 7:30 p.m. The Gaels close out their road trip against host Princeton at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
