NEW ROCHELLE – The Iona women's water polo team honored the team's six graduating seniors and two graduates with two "important wins" by sweeping two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conferences matches today at Hynes Center Pool. The squad's graduating seniors include Jori Aventurado, Molly Banks, Amelia Gonzalez, Kaya Hart, Elizabeth Lovat, Lily Morris, along with graduate students Lily Graham and Mia Tovar.

Iona 14  Mount St. Mary's 9

After jumping off to a two-goal edge in the opening four minutes, Iona led the rest of the way for a 14-9 MAAC win over Mount St. Mary's in this morning's MAAC match. Graduate student Mia Tova (five shots), senior Kaya Hart (five shots) and sophomore Sadie Sallas (three shots) led the Maroon and Gold (9-12 overall, 3-2 MAAC) with three goals apiece, while sophomore Lola Trujillo scored twice. Senior Amelia Gonzalez, freshman Kaitlyn Williams and freshman Bella Morquecho had one goal each. The Gaels scored 14 goals on 28 shots on ten assists with five by Trujillo, and also won all four swim offs.

In goal, senior Lily Morris had 19 saves on 33 Tigers shots, made three steals and had nine goals against. On defense, the Gaels made 11 steals with two each by Sallas and Trujillo.  Iona drew Mountaineer nine kickouts with three by Trujillo, including one five-meter penalty, while being ejected 14 times. The Gaels turned the ball over 18 times. Iona scored on six of nine woman-up chances, while Mount St. Mary's scored three goals on 14 woman-up chances.

With 2:53 gone in the match, Hart put Iona on the board first for a 1-0 lead. Sallas followed with a five-meter penalty goal 2:05 later, but Mount St. Mary answered to trim the home edge back to one 2-1 with 3:21 left in the opening period. Two straight Gael scores from Tovar and Gonzalez upped the Gaels advantage to three 4-1 with 2:43 on the clock. At the one-minute mark, the Mountaineers cut the Gaels lead back to two 4-2. But with 30 ticks left, Williams found the back of the net for a three-score 5-2 home lead going into the second quarter.

The visitors needed 45 seconds into the second period to pull back within two 5-3.  Just 1:05 later, Sallas' second goal restored a three-goal home advantage 6-3. Tovar's second score on a woman-up chance gave the Gaels a four-goal 7-3 edge, but two straight Mount goals sliced the home margin to two 7-5 with 2:57 to intermission. On the Gaels next chance, Hart's second goal upped the home lead back to three 8-5. With just 54 ticks left, Sallas scored for the third time for a four-score 9-5 halftime advantage.

After winning her third swim off, Trujillo put Iona up five 10-5 just 1:17 into the third period.  Just 13 ticks later, the Mountaineers answered to get back within four 10-6. Trujillo struck again with 3:18 to go for a five-score 11-6 Iona edge, but the visitors answered 18 seconds later to chop the home lead back to four 11-7. On the Gaels next trip down the pool, Morquecho put Iona back up five 12-7, but the Mountaineers responded to creep within four 12-8 with 1:38 on the clock.   

After an Iona timeout, Kaya capitalized on a 6-5 advantage with 1:14 left as Iona led by five 13-5 going into the final period. With 53 seconds gone in the fourth period, Tovar's third score on a woman-up chanced upped Iona's edge to six 14-8. Mount St. Mary's trimmed the home lead to five 14-9 with 4:59 remaining in regulation. In the final minutes, Iona spoiled three Mount 6-5 chances, while freezing the ball for the win.

Iona 14 Siena 10

Again, leading the entire match, the Gaels notched their second conference victory of the day with a 14-10 win over Siena in the afternoon's game. Trujillo led the Maroon and Gold with three goals, while Tovar, Hart, Gonzalez and junior Addison Collins scored two apiece. Graduate student Lily Graham, Sallas and Morquecho had one goal each. The Gaels scored 14 goals on 36 shots on eight assists with three by Trujillo.

In goal, senior Lily Morris had 13 saves on 29 Saints shots, made three steals and two assists, and had 13 goals against.In the final two minutes, freshman Zasha Soler had one goal against on one Saints shot. On defense, the Gaels made seven steals with three by Trujillo. Iona drew eight Saints kickouts with two by Trujillo, including two five-meter penalties, while being ejected three times, including one five-meter penalty. Trujillo won all four swim offs for a 70-7 season record. The Gaels blocked four Saints shots. The Gaels turned the ball over eleven times.Iona scored on two of eight woman-up chances, while Siena scored one goal on three woman-up chances.

With 2:19 gone in the match, Trujillo got on the board first, followed by Tovar for a 2-0 Gaels lead with 5:01 left. After Sallas missed a five-meter penalty shot, Gonzalez and Morquecho continued a 4-0 home run with 2:50 left in the opening period. Siena scored just 28 ticks later, but Tovar's second goal restored a four-goal 5-1. With just 35 ticks left another Saints score cut Iona's advantage back to three 5-2 going into the second period.

Neither squad scored until the Saints cut the Gaels lead to two 5-3 with 3:47 on the clock. Just 11 seconds later, Trujillo answered with her second goal as Iona went back three 6-3. Following a Saints goal, Collins scored with six ticks left on the clock for a three-goal 7-4 home halftime lead.

Gonzalez took advantage of a woman-up chance for her second score just 28 seconds into the third period.   Following a Siena five-meter penalty score, the Gaels failed to score during a Saints goal-ejection. Morris' pool-length assist resulted in Trujillo's third score for a 9-5 edge with 2:28 left. After Collins hit the Gaels second straight score, Siena answered to cut the Iona lead to five 10-5 with 1:30 to go. But Graham and Sallas ended the period with two straight scores for a six-goal home margin going into the final period.

Just 31 seconds into the final quarter, the Saints got back within five 12-7, but Hart answered on the Gaels next trip down the pool for a 13-7 edge with 7:09 remaining. Two straight Saints scores pulled Siena within four 13-9 with 3:26 left. Hart's five-meter penalty goal with 2:41 to go put the Gael back up five 14-9. Despite a last-minute Siena score, Iona held on for the win.

COACH THOUGHTS

Iona head coach Brian Kelly praised his squad's defensive performance as the key to two "important wins" as the Gaels look for a MAAC Championship berth. "These were two important wins for us in regards to qualifying for championships," Kelly said. "We had our best defensive day of the year. Lily Morris was rock solid in goal and our center defenders were outstanding, led by Amelia Gonzalez, Bella Morquecho, Sadie Sallas, Kaitlyn Williams and Lola Trujillo."

UP NEXT

On Thursday, the Gaels travel to New London, CT, to take on Connecticut College at 7 p.m.

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