Eleven Gaels Score as Iona WWP Defeats Connecticut College, 20–6

Box Score

NEW LONDON, CT - With eleven Gaels scoring, the Iona women's water polo team notched its sixth season victory with a 20-6 non-conference win over Connecticut College this afternoon at Lott Natatorium.

GAME SUMMARY

Sophomores Blaize Penso and Olivia Weissman led the Maroon and Gold (5-9 overall) with three goals each, while junior Maleah Penman, sophomores Bailey Desmond and Nicole Morrison, freshmen Fiona Rowe and Sarah Snider each scored twice.

Senior captain Lola Trujillo and sophomores Mikayla Arthur, Vanessa McNabb and Anna O'Malley had one goal apiece. The Gaels scored 20 goals on 34 shots with 20 assists, including three each by Trujillo, Desmond, Penman, and Penso.

In goal for the first three periods, freshman MJ Metzdorf had 14 saves on 21 Connecticut shots, one assist and two goals against. In the fourth period, sophomore Grace Goldhammer had three saves on nine Connecticut shots and four goals against. On defense, the Gaels made 11 steals with two each by sophomore Ella Ferguson, McNabb and Penso.

The Gaels blocked three shots with two by Penso. Iona drew six Connecticut kickouts, while being ejected four times. Neither team was assessed a five-meter penalty. Trujillo won all four swim offs. Iona scored two woman-up goal on six opportunities.

The Gaels made seven turnovers. Trujillo needed only 14 seconds into the match to get Iona on the board followed by Penso just 1:34 later for a 2-0 edge with 6:03 left in the opening period. Snider and Desmond continued a 4-0 run until Connecticut narrowed the Iona lead to three 4-1 with 5:05 to go. With 38 ticks, Penso struck again on a pool-length assist by Metzdorf for a four-score 5-2 advantage going into the second period.

Morrison upped the visitors lead to five 6-1, but the Camels answered on their next chance to slice the Iona edge back to four 6-2 with 5:40 left. Two goals from Penman and one by Weissman put the Gaels up seven 9-2 with 2:56 remaining. With 21 ticks to halftime, O'Malley gave the Gaels an eight-goal 10-2 halftime lead. Neither squad scored until Penso's third goal with 4:56 left in the third period for a 11-2 Iona cushion.

Snider and Weissman scored their second goals to sustain a 7-0 Gaels run to 13-2 advantage with 2:52 on the clock. In the closing 1:40, Arthur and Weissman tacked on two more Iona scores for a 15-2 cushion going into the final period. After the Camels' third goal opened the fourth period, Morrison found the back of the cage to put Iona up 16-3 with 6:56 remaining in regulation.

Connecticut scored again, but Penman answered with her third goal for a 17-4 Iona edge at the 5:36 mark. McNabb and Rowe answered a Connecticut goal for a 19-5 Iona advantage. Desmond's second goal followed a Camels score for a 20-6 Gaels cushion with 2:43 left to seal the win.

COACH THOUGHTS

Iona head coach Brian Kelly was pleased with the win and his entire squad's performance. "It was a fun game," Kelly said. "We had a chance to get a little unconventional with our lineups. Everybody contributed in a positive way. MJ had fourteen saves in three quarters. We're looking forward to getting out of this cold and gelling on our California trip this week."

UP NEXT

Iona travels to Southern California next week for four non-conference match-ups. On Friday, the Gaels face California State University Northridge at 5 p.m. ET, and California Lutheran University at 8:45 p.m. at Occidental College, Los Angeles. On Saturday, Iona takes on number-22-ranked California Baptist University at 12:45 p.m. ET and University of La Verne at 5:45 p.m. ET., at Chapman University, Orange, CA.

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