LEXINGTON, VA — In a seesaw match featuring five ties and two lead changes, the Iona women's water polo team fell 14-13 to La Salle University in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference matchup this afternoon at the Virginia Military Institute.
GAME SUMMARY
Sophomore Olivia Weissman led the Maroon and Gold with five goals on 11 shots, while sophomore Grace Goldhammer had three scores. Seniors Sadie Sallas and Lola Trujillo had two goals apiece, and sophomore Nicole Morrison scored once.
The Gaels scored 13 goals on 31 shots with 11 assists, with five by Morrison and two by sophomore Blaize Penso.
In goal, freshman MJ Metzdorf had 10 saves on 22 La Salle shots, including stopping a five-meter penalty shot, to go along with four steals, one assist, and 14 goals against.
On defense, the Gaels made eight steals. Weissman blocked one shot. Iona drew seven La Salle kickouts, including one five-meter penalty, with four by Goldhammer, while being ejected nine times, including three five-meter penalties. Trujillo won all four swim-offs.
Iona scored three goals on seven woman-up chances, while La Salle scored four goals on nine woman-up chances. The Gaels committed 14 turnovers.
With 1:37 gone in the match, the Explorers capitalized on a woman-up chance to go up 1-0. Just a minute later, Goldhammer answered to tie the game at one, followed by Trujillo to give the Gaels a 2-1 edge with 4:47 left. Weissman continued a 3-0 Iona run as the Gaels went up 3-1 with 3:17 left in the opening period. With two straight goals in the closing minute, La Salle knotted the game at three heading into the second period.
Neither squad scored, including Metzdorf blocking a five-meter penalty try, until Weissman broke the tie as Iona regained a 4-3 edge with 3:02 on the clock. Morrison extended the Gaels' lead to 5-3 on Iona's next chance, then Sallas buried a five-meter penalty for a 6-4 lead with 2:02 left. After a La Salle score, Goldhammer's second goal built a three-goal Iona advantage with 41 seconds left. The Explorers cut the Gaels' halftime cushion to 7-5 just 27 seconds later.
Following La Salle's second-half opening goal, Goldhammer's third score pushed the Iona lead to 8-6 with 5:55 on the clock. After the Explorers cut the deficit to 8-7, Sallas' second goal put Iona back up two at 9-7 with 5:12 left. Two straight La Salle woman-up goals tied the game at nine, then Weissman's hat-trick goal restored a 10-9 advantage with 2:09 left. Just 29 seconds later, the Explorers tied the score at 10 heading into the fourth quarter.
After the Gaels went up 11-10 on Weissman's fourth goal during a woman-up opportunity, La Salle tied the game at 11 on its next chance with 6:29 left. Another La Salle woman-up goal gave the Explorers a 12-11 lead. La Salle's third straight score extended the lead to 13-11 with 3:30 remaining. Weissman struck for her fifth to cut the deficit to 13-12 with 2:54 to go. A La Salle five-meter penalty restored a two-goal, 14-12 lead with 1:28 on the clock. Eleven seconds later, Trujillo's second score brought Iona within one at 14-13, but the Gaels' rally fell short.
UP NEXT
On Sunday, the Gaels finish the regular season with two conference matches. At 8 a.m., Iona faces No. 24 Villanova University and No. 21 (tie) Wagner College at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
