NEW ROCHELLE – The Iona women's water polo team ended their 2021 season with Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference home losses to Virginia Military Institute and Long Island University today at the Hynes Center Pool. With the loss to VMI, the Gaels failed to advance to the MAAC Championships next week for the first time since 2003.

GAME SUMMARY VMI 15 Iona 14

Despite a two-goal lead and four ties in the first period, along with a goalie goal with 1.56 seconds left, Iona's five-goal final period rally wound up one score short in a 15-14 loss to VMI.

Junior Maeve Ellen Wydan and freshman Kaya Hart led the Gaels with four goals and two steals each, while freshman Amelia Gonzalez had two scores. Senior Laura Rockett, senior Danielle Hernandez, senior Erika Wimmer and junior Kate Schmitt scored one goal apiece. Iona scored 14 goals on 34 shots and made four assists and with three by junior Malia Naugle.

In goal, senior Kate Schmitt made six saves and one steal along with her goal. On defense, the Gaels made six steals and a blocked shot by freshman Elizabeth Lovat. Iona drew nine VMI kickouts and two five-meter penalties with three ejections drawn by Hart, while being ejected 13 times and two five-meter kickouts. Naugle was disqualified with three ejections. The Gaels scored two goals on nine man-up chances, and the Keydets capitalized on six of thirteen opportunities. Iona turned the ball over 19 times.

Twenty seconds into the match, Rockett scored on the Gaels first possession, then Wydan followed with a five-meter penalty shot goal for a 2-0 home lead with 6:49 on the clock. VMI answered 16 ticks later, then capitalized on a man-up chance to tie the match at two with 4:23 left. Wydan's second goal put Iona back up one 3-2 until VMI re-tied the game at three with 2:53 to go. Gonzalez gave the Gaels the lead again 4-3, then VMI knotted the score at four on a 6-5 goal.

Three straight VMI scores on a two five-meter penalty shots and man-up chance put the Keydets up three 7-4 with 4:37 left in the second period. The Gaels responded with two unanswered scores on Hart's five-meter penalty shot and Wydan's third goal to cut the VMI edge to one 7-6 with 2:07 left to intermission.

The Keydets opened the third period with two straight goals to increase their lead to three 9-6 with 5:53 left. Wimmer answered to get Iona back within two 9-7 at the 4:58 mark. VMI scored on a 6-5 advantage. but Hart's second score cut the visitors' edge back to two 10-8 with 2:59 to go. After two straight scores gave VMI a four-goal cushion, Hart's third goal got Iona within three 12-9 with 1:58 left. The Keydets scored with three ticks left for a 13-9 lead going into the final period.

In the final period, neither team scored until Wydan's fourth goal put Iona back with three 13-10 with 5:33 remaining.  Hernandez cut the visitors' edge to two 13-11 only 1:07 later. After a VMI goal, two straight Gael goals by Hart and Gonzales narrowed the Keydets' edge to one 14-13 with 2:53 to go. VMI answered with 2:11 left to restore a two-goal edge with 2:11 to go. With 1.65 seconds left, Schmitt's pool-length heave got Iona within one and a chance to send the game into overtime, but VMI managed to run out the clock to seal the win.

GAME SUMMARY LIU 13 Iona 9

Trailing by one goal at the end of the first quarter, Iona allowed an 8-0 LIU run over two quarters, as a fourth-quarter Gael rally fell short in this afternoon's season-ending 13-9 loss to LIU.

 Hernandez led the Gaels with three goals, while Wydan scored two. Naugle, Rockett, and senior Carli Tovar added one goal each, freshman Jori Aventurado notched her first Gael goal. Iona scored nine goals on 32 shots and made six assists with two from Hernandez.

In goal, Schmitt made 12 saves and two steals. On defense, the Gaels made 11 steals with three by Wydan. Iona drew five LIU kickouts, while being ejected five times. The Gaels scored two goals on five man-up chances, and the Sharks on one of six opportunities. Iona turned the ball over 13 times.
After LIU got on the board first with 2:01 gone in the match, Hernandez tied the game at one 1:58 later. The Sharks went back up one on their next possession, but Naugle evened the score at two with 3:19 remaining. Twenty-one ticks later, the visitors retook a one-goal lead until Wydan knotted the game at three with 2:25 on the clock. With 35 seconds left, LIU scored for a 4-3 edge going into the second period.

In the second period, LIU recorded three unanswered goals for a 7-3 halftime lead as Iona failed to score in the quarter. LIU continued an 8-0 run into the third period with four straight goals until Wydan's second score ended the Iona offensive drought as the Sharks led 11-4 with 2:53 on the clock.

Wydan's goal sparked a 3-0 rally into the fourth period as goals from Rockett and Aventurado pulled Iona within five 11-6 with 5:41 left. LIU scored on its next trip down the pool, but Carli Tovar cut the visitors' edge to five 12-7 at the 3:44 mark. After another Sharks goal, two straight scores on two shots from Hernandez trimmed the LIU lead to four 13-9 as time expired.

Even with the weekend's four season-ending losses, the graduating seniors were "grateful" to their coaches and teammates for the past four years.

"It's been a wild ride and I am grateful that I am a Gael," said Schmitt, summing up the feelings of her fellow seniors. "Big thank you to my teammates, Coach Brian Kelly and assistant coach Hannah Schultz. Without you the last four years would not have been possible."

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