POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – After falling 12-9 to No. 17-ranked Marist University this morning, the Iona women's water polo team earned its fifth win of the season, 13-11, over Salem University (WV) this afternoon in two non-conference matches at this weekend's Marist Invite.

Marist #17 12, Iona 9

After a first period featuring three ties and two lead changes, Iona trailed by just two goals at halftime but was outscored 5-4 in the second half in a 12-9 loss to Marist in this morning's game.
Senior Sadie Sallas led the Maroon and Gold (5-9 overall) with five goals on eight shots, while sophomore Bailey Desmond scored two goals on two shots. Senior co-captain Lola Trujillo and freshman Fiona Rowe had one goal apiece.

The Gaels scored nine goals on 23 shots and had five assists, with three by Trujillo.

In goal, freshman MJ Metzdorf had seven saves on 24 Marist shots, including stopping a five-meter penalty shot, with one steal and 12 goals allowed.

On defense, the Gaels made seven steals, with three by Trujillo. They blocked five shots, with two each by Trujillo and sophomore Nicole Morrison. Iona drew six Marist kickouts, including one five-meter penalty, while being ejected eight times with one five-meter penalty. Morrison was disqualified with three ejections. Trujillo won all four swim-offs. The Gaels turned the ball over nine times.
Iona scored four goals on five woman-up chances, while Marist scored three goals on seven opportunities.

With 2:15 gone in the match, Marist got on the board, but Sallas tied the game at one-all just 17 seconds later. The Red Foxes went back up one on their next chance, then Rowe retied the match at two with 4:32 to go. Sallas scored on a woman-up chance to put Iona up 3-2 with 3:31 left. Marist knotted the score at three, then went back up 4-3 with 56 seconds remaining.

Continuing a 3-0 run into the second period, the hosts built a two-score, 5-3 lead with 2:18 gone. Trujillo found the back of the net on a woman-up chance to cut the Red Foxes' edge to 5-4 with 4:16 on the clock. Marist answered with a woman-up goal for a 6-4 advantage with 1:32 remaining. Just 50 seconds later, Desmond got Iona back within one, 6-5. But Marist regained a two-goal, 7-5 halftime lead on an open-cage goal at the buzzer.

With 30 seconds gone in the third period, Marist went up 8-5. Desmond's second goal stopped the Marist run, getting the Gaels within 9-6 with 5:25 on the clock. After Sallas' third goal cut the Marist edge to 9-7, the Red Foxes went up 10-7 with 4:05 to go. Sallas struck again as Iona pulled within 10-8 with 2:19 left going into the final period.

Neither squad scored in the fourth period until Marist upped its lead to 11-8 with 5:12 left. The Red Foxes capitalized on a woman-up chance for a 12-8 lead with 3:59 remaining. Despite Sallas' fifth goal on a five-meter penalty with 32 seconds left, the Gaels' rally fell short. Metzdorf blocked a Marist five-meter attempt with two seconds on the clock.

Iona 13, Salem 11

Following a first half with six ties, Iona took the lead for good early in the third quarter and held off a late-game Salem rally to earn the squad's sixth win of the season, 13-11.
Sallas again led the Maroon and Gold (5-9 overall) with six goals on 11 shots, while Trujillo scored four goals on eight shots. Redshirt sophomore Vanessa McNabb, sophomore Olivia Weissman, and Rowe had one goal apiece.

The Gaels scored 13 goals on 29 shots and had six assists, with two each by Sallas and Trujillo.

In goal, freshman MJ Metzdorf had nine saves on 26 Salem shots, including stopping a five-meter penalty shot, with four steals and 11 goals allowed.

On defense, the Gaels made 17 steals, with four by Trujillo. Iona drew two Salem kickouts, including three five-meter penalties, while being ejected three times with six five-meter penalties. Trujillo won all four swim-offs. The Gaels turned the ball over four times.

With 1:34 gone in the match, Sallas got Iona on the board with a five-meter penalty goal, but Salem answered with one of its own to tie the score at one-all with 5:35 to go in the opening period. Rowe restored a one-goal Gaels edge, 2-1, then three straight Tigers scores put Salem up 4-2 with two minutes left. Iona responded with two unanswered goals in the closing 1:47 from Sallas and Trujillo to tie the game at four-all going into the second period.

After Salem briefly retook a 5-4 edge on a five-meter penalty shot, Sallas' third goal tied the match for the fourth time with 4:44 remaining in the second period. Another Tigers penalty shot gave Salem a 6-5 edge just 24 seconds later. Two straight Iona goals by Weissman and McNabb gave the Gaels their first lead, 7-6, with 2:47 left. After Sallas missed a five-meter penalty shot, Metzdorf stopped a Salem attempt with 1:05 remaining as Iona maintained a 7-6 halftime advantage.

Just 38 seconds into the third period, Salem knotted the game at seven. Sallas' fourth goal on a five-meter penalty shot restored an 8-7 Iona lead with 5:57 left. Sallas struck again, then Salem answered to cut the Gaels' edge to 9-8 with 4:41 to go. Sallas registered a double hat trick with her sixth score, and she and Trujillo put Iona up 11-8 with 2:42 on the clock. Two straight Salem scores cut the Iona edge to 11-10 with 28 seconds left.

After the Tigers missed a five-meter penalty shot, Trujillo's hat-trick goal restored a two-goal Gaels edge with 6:07 left in the final period. Salem cut the Iona lead to 12-11 with 1:53 left, but Trujillo's fourth score rebuilt a 13-11 advantage just 12 seconds later. In the closing minute, Salem missed another five-meter penalty shot, and Iona stalled to preserve the 13-11 win.
Although disappointed with splitting the day's matches, Iona's head coach praised his squad's defensive play, particularly two freshmen.

COACH THOUGHTS

"We had a very good day defensively today," Kelly said. "Two of our freshmen are playing at a very high level. Fiona Rowe was tremendous today in two-meter defense. Anytime you play two straight games as a defender and don't get ejected as a primary defender, that's an outstanding performance. "MJ Metzdorf was outstanding in goal. She made a lot of great saves that kept us in the Marist game and gave us a chance to win. She also came up with a big penalty save to help us end the Salem game."

UP NEXT

On Sunday, March 1, the Gaels travel to New London, CT, for a non-conference road game against Connecticut College at noon ET.