POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - After trailing by two late in the opening period, the Iona women's water polo team reeled off eight consecutive goals, while the defense did not allow another score for the remainder, for a third-place finish in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship with a 10-4 victory over Virginia Military Institute Sunday afternoon at Marist College. The victory was head coach Brian Kelly's 378th with the women's team, pulling him into a tie with former baseball head coach Al Zoccolillo (1988-2005) for the most wins by an Iona head coach.

All-MAAC Second Team selection freshman Jillian Schultz led Iona (16-17) with four goals, freshman Maeve Wydan and Taylor Hensley scored two goals each. All-MAAC First Team member sophomore Jordan Van Reeken and freshman Brianna Erickson had one score apiece. Iona scored ten goals on 28 shots.

In goal, All-MAAC Second Team redshirt junior Jordin Hale made ten saves on 23 VMI shots. In the final 1:51, freshman goalie Christina Chiappini made one save on one VMI shot.

In addition to holding VMI scoreless from 1:44 in the first period, the Iona defense made seven steals with three by Van Reeken and two by freshman Karsyn Stewart, and blocked two shots. The Gaels drew five Keydets ejections, while being kicked out eight times. Iona turned the ball over five times.

With 1:10 gone in the match, the Keydets scored on their first possession, but Schultz's skip shot on the Gaels first 6-5 advantage evened the score at one with 5:39 left in the opening period. After VMI did the same to regain the lead 2-1 with 3:30 on the clock, Schultz's second goal retied the game at two 30 seconds later. VMI hit two straight goals in the next 1:16, until Wydan and Van Reeken answered with two unanswered Iona scores for a 4-4 tie with five ticks left in the first quarter.

After an Iona timeout, Wydan gave the Gaels their first lead 5-4 with 2:52 gone in the second period, a lead they would not relinquish. Erickson's goal followed two minutes later for a 6-4 two-goal Iona cushion at intermission.

Hensley continued a 5-0 Gaels run off Stewart's steal to put Iona up three 7-4 with 1:20 gone in the third quarter. Iona hit its sixth straight score on Schultz's third goal to pad Iona's lead to 8-4 at the 3:34 mark. Schultz hit her fourth score 2:20 later for a 9-4 Gaels lead going into the final quarter.

The Gaels 8-0 three-quarter run was capped with Hensley's second score on a 6-5 advantage with 2:52 gone in the fourth period to seal the win.

Pleased with his team's performance on both ends of the pool after yesterday's semifinal loss to Marist, Iona head coach Brian Kelly was already looking forward to his young team returning next year as seasoned championship veterans. "We got done early and we didn't panic," said Kelly as he wrapped up his 24th season at the helm. "We tightened up some early mistakes on defense and had one of better defensive games of the year. JoJo had a huge game for us with a ton of big stops, especially on six-on-fives. Jill Schultz was unstoppable in center. Kelly continued, "We learned a lot this weekend about what it takes to be successful at this Championship. The girls are already looking ahead to next season."