LEXINGTON, VA - The Iona women's water polo team began its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule today by losing LaSalle University 12-4 and Long Island University 16-8 at the Virginia Military Institute in the VMI Aquatics Center.

LaSalle 12 Iona 4

Managing only one goal in each quarter, the Gaels dropped their first MAAC season game to LaSalle 12-4 in today's first match. Senior Remy Ickes, junior Sadie Sallas, freshman Grace Goldhammer, redshirt freshman Vanessa McNabb led the Maroon and Gold (5-9 overall, 0-2 MAAC) with one goal apiece. The Gaels scored four goals on 29 shots and one assist by freshman Bailey Desmond.  

In goal, graduate student Lilly Morris had eight saves on 20 LaSalle shots, three steals and ten goals against.  In the fourth period, freshman Ella Dean had one save on three LaSalle shots and two goals against. On defense, the Gaels made six steals and blocked two shots.  Iona drew nine LaSalle kickouts with two each by senior co-captain Addison Collins and Goldhammer, including two five-meter penalties, while being ejected three times, including two five-meter penalties. 

The Gaels turned the ball over four times. Iona did not score on six woman-up chances, while LaSalle did not capitalize on three. Junior co-captain Lola Trujillo won all four swim offs.  
After Sallas missed a five-meter penalty shot with 22 seconds gone in the match, LaSalle got on the board first for a 1-0 edge with 4:27 left in the first period. The Explorers followed with two straight scores to go up three 3-0 with 2:09 on the clock. With 49 ticks left in the opening quarter, Goldhammer ended the Iona offensive drought to cut the LaSalle led to two 3-1.  McNabb missed a five-meter penalty try with ten seconds remaining.

LaSalle regained a three-goal 4-1 advantage with 5:21 left in the second period. Sallas answered to get the Gaels back within two 4-2 at the 4:13 mark. Two consecutive Explorers scores put LaSalle up four 6-2 with 3:13 remaining. With 25 seconds remaining, LaSalle continued a 3-0 run to lead 7-2 at halftime.

The Explorers opened the second half with two more scores for 9-2 lead with 4:37 left in the third quarter. McNabb pulled Iona back within six 9-3 just 1:08 later. In the fourth period, after missing a five-meter penalty try, LaSalle hit another for a 10-3 advantage with 4:42 to go in regulation. Two more unanswered LaSalle goals in the closing 1:35 sealed the Explorers 12-4 win, despite Ickes' score in the final seconds.

LIU 15 Iona 8

Down just two at halftime after a first half featuring two ties, the Gaels recorded only one goal the rest of the way for a 15-8 loss to LIU in today's second match. McNabb led the Maroon and Gold with three goals on five shots, while Sallas scored two goals on seven shots.   Ickes, Collins and Trujillo added one score each. The Gaels scored eight goals on 28 shots and one assist by Goldhammer.  

In goal, graduate student Lilly Morris had seven saves on 32 LIU shots, including stopping a five-meter penalty shot, four steals and 12 goals against. On defense, the Gaels made 11 steals and sophomore Kaitlyn Williams blocked one shot.  Iona drew six kickouts with three by Goldhammer, including two five-meter penalties, while being ejected six times, including five five-meter penalties. Freshman Mikayla Arthur was disqualified with three ejections. The Gaels turned the ball over 20 times. Iona did not score on two woman-up chances, while LIU did not capitalize on two chances. Junior co-captain Lola Trujillo won of three of four swim offs. 

LIU got on the board first with a five-meter penalty goal followed by another unanswered score for a 2-0 lead just 2:21 into the match. The Sharks took a three-goal 3-0 edge on a second five-meter penalty goal with 3:20 left in the opening period. McNabb cut the Sharks lead back to two 3-1 at the 1:05 mark. Ickes followed with a five-meter penalty score, but LIU answered on its next trip down the pool for a two-goal 4-2 advantage with 16 ticks left. Collins sliced that margin back to one 4-3 with just three ticks on the clock.

After Morris blocked a LIU five-meter penalty try, Sallas knotted the score at four-all with 57 seconds gone in the second period. The Sharks regained a one-goal 5-4 edge on a five-meter penalty score just 16 ticks later, then went up two 6-4 with 4:19 left. McNabb's five-meter penalty goal cut the LIU edge back to one 6-5, then the Sharks struck for a two-score 7-5 advantage just 15 seconds later.  

Trujillo got the Gaels back within one 7-6 with 3:10 left to halftime. McNabb's third score tied the match at seven until LIU scored with 1:24 remaining for an 8-7 edge. Another LIU five-meter penalty goal with 19 ticks left gave the Sharks a two-score 9-7 halftime lead.

With two consecutive scores on a 5-0 streak, the Sharks upped their lead to four 11-7 with 3:04 gone in the third period.  Two more unanswered LIU goals increased the Sharks edge to seven 14-7 with 23 seconds remaining, as the Gaels failed to score in the third period.

Continuing an 8-0 run into the final period, LIU went up eight 15-7 with 5:13 to go in regulation.  Sallas recorded the Gaels only second-half score with a five-meter penalty shot with 2:34 on the clock.

UP NEXT

On Sunday, Iona takes on Wagner College at 11 a.m., before heading back to New Rochelle.