VILLANOVA, PA – After notching its fourth Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win and qualifying for the conference championships with a 20-11 win over the Virginia Military Institute, the Iona women's water polo team fell 20-13 to no. 19-ranked Wagner College.
Iona 20 VMI 11
Leading the entire contest with 12 Gaels scoring, Iona notched its fourth conference win in a 20-11 win over VMI in this afternoon's first match to qualify for the conference championships on April 26-28 at Marist College. Sophomore Lola Trujillo led the Maroon and Gold (10-13 overall, 4-3 MAAC) with three goals on five shots, while graduate student Lily Graham, graduate student Mia Tovar, senior Jori Aventurado, sophomore Isabella Adams, freshman Bella Morquecho and freshman Kaitlyn Williams each scored twice. Senior Amelia Gonzalez, junior Remy Ickes, sophomore Lea Preston, sophomore Sadie Sallas and freshman Maleah Penman had one goal apiece. The Gaels scored 20 goals on 32 shots on 15 assists with two each by Tovar, Trujillo, Williams and Preston. The Gaels won all five swim offs, including two by Trujillo.
In goal in the first half, senior Lilly Morris had five saves on 14 Keydets shots and had five goals against. In goal in the second half, freshmen Zasha Soler had six saves on 14 Keydets shots, including a five-meter penalty stop and had six goals against. On defense, the Gaels made nine steals with four by Williams. Iona drew seven VMI kickouts with three by Ickes, including one five-meter penalty, while being ejected seven times, including one five-meter penalty. The Gaels turned the ball over 12 times. Iona scored on four of seven woman-up chances, while VMI scored two goals on seven woman-up chances.
With 1:53 gone in the match, Gonzalez struck first for a 1-0 Iona edge, but VMI answered to tie the score at one each just 1:01 later. Two straight scores from Williams and Trujillo gave Iona two-goal 3-1 advantage with 3:04 remaining in the opening period. After the Keydets sliced the Gaels edge back to one 3-2 with 1:39 on the clock, two more Iona goals from Adams and Graham in the closing minute gave the Gaels three-score edge 5-2 going into the second period.
Adams' second goal upped the Iona margin to four 6-2 just 1:54 into the second period. Trujillo found the back of the net for the second time for a five-goal 7-2 Iona lead with 3:04 left. After Morquecho continued a 5-0 Iona run, VMI cut the Gaels edge back to five 8-3 at the 2:47 mark. Preston answered just 1:07 later, but the Keydets got back with five 9-4 on their next possession. Trujillo's third goal on a five-meter penalty shot put Iona up six 10-4 with 1:07 to go, but VMI sliced the Gaels lead back to five 10-5 with ten ticks to halftime.
Only 52 seconds into the third period, with Soler in goal, Tovar converted a 6-5 chance for a six-goal Iona 10-6 cushion. The Keydets did the same on their next trip down the pool, then Morquecho's second goal followed by Penman gave Iona seven-goal margin 13-6 with 3:50 on the clock. Tovar's second score and Aventurado continued a 5-0 Gaels run for a ten-score 16-6 cushion going into the final period.
After a Keydets score with 40 ticks gone in the fourth period, Graham's second goal restored a ten-score Gaels edge just 16 ticks later. VMI answered, but Ickes and Sallas put the Gaels back up eleven 19-8 with 4:44 remaining. Following Soler's blocking a VMI five-meter penalty try, Aventurado upped the Iona lead to 20-9. But a Keydets' goal sliced the Gaels edge back to ten 20-10 with 4:13 left to seal Iona's fourth MAAC season win despite a last-second VMI goal.
#19 Wagner 20 Iona 13
Trailing 5-1 going into the second quarter, Iona mounted a 7-3 fourth quarter rally but fell 20-13 to the no.-19-ranked Seahawks in this afternoon's second conference match. Morquecho led the Maroon and Gold with three goals on five goals, while Graham, senior Kaya Hart and Trujillo all scored twice. Tovar and Gonzalez had one goal each. The Gaels scored 13 goals on 25 shots on 11 assists with five by Trujillo, and won all four swim offs.
In goal in the first three quarters, Morris had six saves on 21 Seahawks shots, made one steal and had 16 goals against. In goal in the fourth quarter, Soler had one save on five Seahawks shots, and had three goals against. On defense, the Gaels made eight steals with three by Graham. Iona drew eight Wagner kickouts with two each by Adams and Sallas, while being ejected 14 times. The Gaels blocked one Seahawk shot. The Gaels turned the ball over 12 times. Iona scored on three of eight woman-up chances, while Wagner scored six goals on eight woman-up chances.
The first-place MAAC Red Division Seahawks needed only 33 seconds to get on the board first, then followed on their next possession for a 2-0 edge with 1:17 gone in the opening period. After Wagner tacked on another goal, just 14 ticks later, Morquecho found the back of the net to pull Iona within two 3-1 with 3:46 to go. Two more Wagner goals in the closing two minutes gave the Seahawks a four-goal 5-1 advantage going into the second period.
Only 1:17 into the second quarter, Hart sliced the Seahawks lead back to three 5-2. Following a woman-up Wagner score, Sallas got the Gaels back within three 6-3 with 5:11 left.
Wagner answered, but Morquecho's second score kept Iona within three 7-4 the 4:32 mark. Three consecutive Seahawks goals put Wagner up six 10-4 with 3:01 on the clock until Gonzalez trimmed the Wagner edge to five 10-5 at halftime. After Wagner scored to open the third quarter, Sallas tossed in a rebound to get Iona back within five 11-6 with 1:55 gone. Taking off on a 4-0 run, Wagner led 15-6 with 1:38 to go until Graham's goal got Iona within eight 15-7 just 15 ticks later. Another Seahawks score with 12 ticks left gave Wagner a nine-goal 16-7 advantage entering the final period.
In just 16 seconds, Trujillo opened the fourth period with an Iona score as the Gaels trailed 16-8. With 4:10 on the clock, Hart followed with her second score, but the Seahawks answered on their next trip down the pool for a 16-9 advantage. Trujillo and Tovar mounted a two-goal rally to pull Iona within six 17-11 with 2:22 remaining, but Wagner responded on its next possession. Graham's second score on the Gaels next chance followed by Morquecho's third score cut the Seahawks edge to five 18-13. Despite Iona's 7-3 fourth quarter rally, Wagner sealed the win with the final goal with 35 seconds left to remain undefeated in conference play.
Making the upcoming MAAC championships with the VMI win, Iona head coach Brian Kelly was "encouraged" by his squad's hard-fought effort against Wagner. "It was nice to get the win versus VMI and to qualify for the MAAC Championships," Kelly said. "I was encouraged with how much we battled against a championship team like Wagner. We learned a lot about ourselves with this game."
UP NEXT
Next Saturday, the Gaels travel to Loudonville, NY to take on Marist College at 1:30 p.m., and host Siena College at 5 p.m. EDT. On Sunday, the Gaels take to Poughkeepsie, NY, for two MAAC matches against Mount St. Mary's at 1:30 p.m. and host Marist College at 5 p.m.
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