PROVIDENCE, RI – After losing 13-7 to number-22 ranked Brown University this morning, the Iona women's water polo team rebounded for a 20-4 victory over the University of Redlands this afternoon at the 2025 Bruno Classic in the Coleman Aquatics Center hosted by Brown University this weekend in the Coleman Aquatics Center.

Brown 22 T  13 Iona 7

After leading 2-0 in the opening four minutes, Iona allowed a 5-0 Brown run into the second period and fell 13-7 in today's first non-conference match. Redshirt sophomore Vanessa McNabb led the Maroon and Gold (3-3 overall) with three goals on five shots, while senior Remy Ickes scored two goals on three shots. Senior Emily Geld and sophomore Kaitlyn Williams added one goal each. The Gaels scored seven goals on 34 shots on an assist by Geld. 

In goal, graduate student Lily Morris had seven saves on 20 Brown shots, one steal and ten goals against in the first three quarters. Freshman Ella Dean had one save on five Brown shots, one steal and three goals against in the final quarter. On defense, the Gaels made eight steals with three by freshman Bailey Desmond. Iona drew Brown 12 kick-outs with four by freshman Grace Goldhammer, including two five-meter penalties, while being ejected eight times, including two five-meter penalties. Desmond blocked one shot. The Gaels turned the ball over 12 times. Iona scored on one of nine woman-up chances. Trujillo won three of four swim offs.  

With 46 seconds gone in the match, Morris stopped a Brown five-meter penalty shot. Down at the other end of the pool, McNabb buried a five-meter penalty chance to put Iona up 1-0 with 6:29 remaining in the opening period. After Williams gave the Gaels a two-goal 2-0 lead, Brown got on the board with two straight scores to tie the game at two all with 2:49 to go. Continuing a 3-0 run, Brown took a one-goal advantage 3-2 with 1:15 left.

The Bears opened the second period with two unanswered scores for a three-goal 5-2 margin with 5:50 left. Thirty seconds later, Ickes pulled Iona back within two 5-3. After Trujillo missed a five-meter penalty try, Brown converted one on its next possession for a 6-3 edge with 2:19 remaining. The Bears tacked on another unanswered goal with 20 ticks left for a 7-3 halftime advantage.

McNabb needed only 14 seconds into the third period to bury a five-meter penalty shot for her second score to trim the home lead back to three 7-4. Brown answered with 6:34 to go to build a four-goal lead 8-4. Two more Bears goals, including a woman-up chance, fueled a 3-0 run for a 10-4 home lead going into the final period. McNabb's third goal got Iona back within five 10-5 with 44 seconds gone in the fourth period. The Bears responded on their next two trips down the pool for a seven-score 12-5 advantage with 5:12 remaining. Two Iona goals from Geld and Ickes got the Gaels back within five 12-7 with 1:29 to go, but a Brown score only 17 ticks later sealed the home squad's 13-7 win.

Iona 20 Redlands 4

With eleven players scoring, including two recording their first Iona goals, Iona led the entire match enroute to a 20-4 non-conference win over the University of Redlands in today's second match. Trujillo, Goldhammer, freshman Alyson DePalma and freshman Blaize Penso led the Maroon and Gold with three goals each, while McNabb scored two goals. Senior Addison Collins, junior Lea Preston, Williams, freshman Anna O'Malley, freshman Maleah Penman and freshman Olivia Weissman added one goal apiece. The Gaels scored 20 goals on 25 shots on nine assists with two each from Geld and Preston.

In goal,  Dean had 13 saves on 21 Bulldogs shots, one assist and four goals against. On defense, the Gaels made seven steals with two each from Ickes and Preston.  Iona drew Redlands six kickouts with two by Goldhammer, including three five-meter penalties, while being ejected two times. The Gaels turned the ball over six times.   Iona scored on two of five woman-up chances. The Gaels won all four swim offs.  

Iona reeled off three unanswered goals – two from Trujillo and one from Goldhammer - in the opening 1:55 of the match for a 3-0 lead.  Redlands sliced the Iona edge back to two 3-1, then McNabb restored the three-goal edge 4-1 with 5:25 to go. That began a 5-0 Gaels run with Penman, Goldhammer, Penso (her first Iona score) and Weissman scoring for 8-1 advantage with 52 seconds left.

The Gaels tacked on three more scores from Preston, DePalma (her first Iona goal) and Goldhammer for a ten-goal 11-1 margin with 4:59 left in the second period. The Bulldogs narrowed the Iona edge back to nine 11-2, then Penso's second score put Iona back up ten 12-2 with 3:12 on the clock. In the closing three minutes, Iona added three more goals from DePalma, Williams and Trujillo for a 15-2 Gaels halftime advantage.

O'Malley scored with 50 ticks gone in the third period, but the Bulldogs countered to slice the Gaels edge to 16-3 with 5:58 to go.   Penso's third score upped the Iona edge to 17-3 with 2:30 left. Collins' five-meter penalty shot with 56 ticks left built a 18-3 Iona advantage going into the final period. After McNabb's five-meter penalty goal, Redlands trimmed the Iona lead to 19-4 with 2:18 remaining. With 55 seconds left, DePalma added her third score to seal the 20-4 win.

UP NEXT

Pleased with his squad's performance, especially on the defensive end, Iona head coach Brian Kelly sees a "very bright future" for his young team. "I thought we played pretty well today, especially on defense," Kelly said.  "Our defense has already improved greatly from last weekend. "We're finally getting healthy and we have the makings of a very solid team.  All ten of our newcomers are contributing.  It's going to be a fun season and we have a very bright future."

UP NEXT

On Sunday, the Gaels take on Salem University at 8 a.m. ET.