NEW ROCHELLE, NY- The Iona College women’s water polo team celebrated senior day while playing host for a series of MAAC games Saturday afternoon, Apr. 11. The team honored its senior players Devin Green, Jordan Carmody, and Monica Stiles. Iona took their two games of the day, against St. Francis (16-8) and Virginia Military Institute (17-11).
Freshman Hannah Schultz led the team with seven goals vs. St. Francis in the opener. Junior Rebecca Mathews tallied four goals, while Stiles, juniors Dana Andrea (winner of all four sprints for the game), Sara Bortz, Freshmen Kayla Allen and Paige Neary each recorded one goal for the Gaels. Between the pipes, junior goalie Dana Delucchi took the win with four saves.
Mathews struck first, followed by a goal from St. Francis. Iona took the next three goals for the first period, with one coming from Bortz and two from Schultz. The Terriers hit one more before the period ended. Taking the first goal, again, for the second period was Mathews. St. Francis took three goals before Iona answered with the final shot coming from Allen. Iona conquered the entire third, where Schultz tallied four goals, while Mathews, Neary and Andrea recorded one. The final period saw Terriers take the first goal, before Stiles, Mathews, and Schultz took the next three, respectively. St. Francis tallied the final two goals of the game, leaving the ending score 16-8, Iona.
Conquering the back of the net, tallying six for the Virginia Military Institute match-up was Schultz, leading the team in goals. Mathews registered three goals, along with junior Meghan Mahoney. Sophomore Rebecca Koshy and Allen both scored two, while Neary pulled one. Alternating in front of the net were Green, with three saves, and Delucchi, who recorded the second win with four saves.
VMI hit the first goal of the contest followed by an even strength goal from Schultz. Mahoney tallied the next two before the end of the first. The second period saw ten goals, with five coming from Iona- two from Schultz and Mathews, and one from Allen. The third period started with a goal from VMI. It was 2:50 before Mahoney struck back for Iona. Koshy and Schultz each recorded a goal before Iona gave up the last two of the period to the Kadets. The final period was started with a goal from VMI. Schultz managed one goal before the Kadets found the back of the net for their last goal of the game. Iona scored five more before the final buzzer, with one goal each from Schultz, Koshy, Allen, Mathews, and Neary.