LOUDONVILLE, NY – Enjoying a four-game conference winning streak, the Iona women's water polo team defeated St. Francis College (New York) and host Siena College in two Metro Atlantic Athletic matches here today to improve to 10-12 overall and 6-2 in the MAAC.
Iona 17, St. Francis 10
After leading by a single goal in a first quarter with four ties and a lead change, Iona eventually pulled ahead of St. Francis for a 17-10 win in the opening match.
Sophomore Hannah Schultz led the Gaels with five goals, while senior Rebecca Mathews scored four. Senior Taylor Silva and sophomore Kayla Allen had two goals each, and senior Dana Andrea, senior Sara Bortz, junior Rebecca Koshy and sophomore Karli Normand scored one each.
In goal, sophomore Britten Vilander had four saves, including a fourth-quarter five-meter penalty shot save, three steals and one assist, while facing 22 Terrier shots. On defense, the Gaels had 14 saves with four by Koshy and one block by Allen. Iona forced St. Francis ten kickouts with three by Schultz, while being ejected nine times, including senior Meghan Mahoney's disqualification in the second period. Iona scored on four of nine man-up opportunities.
While St. Francis got on the board first in the opening 49 seconds, Normand tied the game at one with 5:43 left in the first period. On two unanswered scores in the next minute, the Terriers took a 3-1 lead, until two goals by Schultz tied the game at three with 3:08 to go. Twenty-nine seconds later, St. Francis retook the lead 4-3, but Schultz and Matthews gave the Gaels their first lead 5-4 at the 1:51 mark. The Terriers needed only 21 seconds to retie the score at five. Outscoring St. Francis 3-1 in the closing 1:16, Iona went up 8-6 on scores from Mathews, Koshy and Allen, as the Gaels took the lead for good going into the second quarter.
After giving up six goals in the opening period, the Iona defense held St. Francis scoreless until 2:38 left in the second. The offense responded with four unanswered scores from Matthews, Schultz, Silva and Bortz for a 12-7 halftime advantage.
The Gaels held the Terriers scoreless in the third period, while Andrea and Schultz gave Iona a 14-7 edge as the final period began. As Iona head coach Brian Kelly played his entire field bench, the Gael defense allowed three Terrier scores in the fourth quarter, but the offense answered with scores from Mathews, Schultz and Allen to seal the win.
Iona 17, Siena 6
Once again falling behind, then having a single-goal lead in the first period, the Gael offense rallied for a 17-6 victory over host Siena College.
Mathews and Schultz led Iona with five goals each, while Bortz had three scores. Andea, Koshy, Allen and sophomore Devika Joshi had one goal apiece.
In goal, freshman Jordin Hale had six saves and one assist, and freshman Andrea Guerra had no saves. On defense, the Gaels made 15 steals with three by Allen and two each from Silva, Schultz and Andrea, who won all four swimoffs and had the Gaels only blocked shot. The Gaels drew four Saints kickouts, and were ejected twice. Iona scored on one of four man-up opportunities., while Siena was one for two.
In celebrating its Senior Day, Siena scored first with 1:31 gone, but two straight Schultz scores put the Gaels ahead 2-1 with 3:14 left in the opening period. The Saints tied the match at two on their next possessions, but Mathews found the back of the net to put the Gaels up 3-2 with 47 seconds left.
Mathews' second goal 24 ticks into the second quarter gave Iona a 4-2 edge, then Siena pulled back within one 26 seconds later. In the final 3:50, the Gaels took off on a 5-0 run with single goals from Schultz and Koshy, and three straight from Bortz in a minute's time for a 9-3 Iona halftime lead.
With neither team scoring for the first 3:14, Iona outswam Siena 4-3 in the third period. Mathews' two straight scores put the Gaels up 11-3 with 2:50 left, then the Saints answered with two of their own to narrow the Iona lead to 11-5 with 1:49 to go. In the next 45 seconds, Mathews hit her fifth goal, but the Saints answered, then Schultz's fifth goal gave the Gaels a 13-6 advantage going into the final period.
Holding Siena scoreless in the final period, Iona got goals from Schultz, Andrea, Allen and Joshi to seal the win.
Coach Kelly and one of his assistants, former Gael standout Mackenzie Moné, were pleased with today's team effort on both ends of the pool.
“Despite our slow start in both games, we did execute well on both sides of the ball,” Moné said. “We are confident that we will challenge the two top teams – Wagner and Marist – tomorrow.”
On Sunday, the Gaels travel to Poughkeepsie to face Wagner College at noon, and host Marist College at 5:30 p.m.
