Strong Defensive Effort Not Enough as WWP Falls 12–5 at No. 13 Harvard

Box Score

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Despite a strong defensive effort, the Iona women's water polo team fell 12-5 to No. 13 nationally ranked Harvard University in a non-conference match here this evening.

GAME SUMMARY

Senior Sadie Sallas, senior co-captain Lola Trujillo, sophomore Nicole Morrison, sophomore Olivia Weissman, and freshman Fiona Rowe led the Maroon and Gold (0-2 overall) with one goal apiece. The Gaels scored five goals on 21 shots with three assists. In goal, freshman MJ Metzdorf had six saves on 15 Harvard shots and allowed 12 goals.

On defense, the Gaels made 10 steals, with three by Trujillo and two each from sophomore Grace Goldhammer and Morrison. Iona drew five Harvard kickouts, including one five-meter penalty, while being ejected eight times, including two five-meter penalties. Trujillo won two of four swim-offs. Iona scored two goals on five woman-up chances, while Harvard had two scores on eight opportunities. The Gaels committed eight turnovers.

With 1:07 gone in the match, Harvard got on the board first, followed by a woman-up goal just 37 seconds later for a 2-0 edge. The hosts tacked on two consecutive scores on their next two chances for a 4-0 advantage with 4:22 to go in the opening period. Another woman-up goal with 1:32 on the clock gave the Crimson a 5-0 cushion going into the second quarter as the Gaels failed to score in the first period.

After missing a five-meter penalty shot, Sallas ended the Iona offensive drought to trim the hosts' lead to four, 5-1, with 2:25 gone in the second period. With 2:23 left, a Harvard five-meter penalty goal gave the Crimson a 6-1 halftime lead.

Weissman trimmed the Harvard lead to four, 6-2, with 5:02 left in the third period, but the home squad answered on its next chance to go back up five, 7-2. With 48 seconds left, a Harvard shot trickled into the cage for an 8-2 Crimson lead going into the final period.

Just 56 ticks into the final quarter, Rowe got Iona within five, 8-3, on her first goal as a Gael, but the Crimson answered with two straight scores to go up seven, 10-3, with 4:56 remaining. Trujillo cut the Harvard lead back to six, 10-4, at the 2:10 mark. After two more Harvard goals in the closing 1:03, Morrison scored at the buzzer as Iona's three-goal fourth-quarter rally fell short.

Due to the impending snowstorm, Iona's match against Bucknell was cancelled and Saturday night's Harvard game was moved to Friday night. As a result, the team had only three hours of rest after a four-hour Friday bus ride from New Rochelle.

COACH THOUGHTS

"I'm really proud of our effort," Iona head coach Brian Kelly said. "It was a tough schedule change for us because of the storm. It's really tough to drive up and play a great team after a long bus ride. We had a slow start, but we did a lot of great things."

UP NEXT

On Saturday at Harvard, Iona takes on Chapman University (CA) at 10:10 a.m. ET in a non-conference road match moved up from Sunday morning.

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#Iona Athletics

Players Mentioned

#3 Grace Goldhammer: A; 5' 5"; Sophomore

#20 Sadie Sallas: C; 6' 3"; Senior

#18 Lola Trujillo: UT; 5' 9"; Senior

#9 Olivia Weissman: UT; 5' 9"; Sophomore

#1 MJ Metzdorf: GK; 5' 8"; Freshman

#7 Fiona Rowe: UT; 5' 4"; Freshman

#6 Nicole Morrison: UT; 5' 9"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#3 Grace Goldhammer
: 5' 5"; Sophomore
: A

#20 Sadie Sallas
: 6' 3"; Senior
: C

#18 Lola Trujillo
: 5' 9"; Senior
: UT

#9 Olivia Weissman
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: UT

#1 MJ Metzdorf
: 5' 8"; Freshman
: GK

#7 Fiona Rowe
: 5' 4"; Freshman
: UT

#6 Nicole Morrison
: 5' 9"; Sophomore
: UT