NEW ROCHELLE, NY — After dropping two matches to the University of LaVerne and George Washington University earlier today, the number twenty-two ranked Iona women’s water polo team wrapped up its annual California road trip with a 15-5 win over Clairemont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges at the 2016 Lancer Invitational hosted by California Baptist University.
LaVerne 12 Iona 10
In Saturday’s first match, after being ahead and tied six times, Iona (4-10) lost this morning in the final two minutes 12-11 to the University of LaVerne.
Sophomore Hannah Schultz led Iona with three goals, while senior Rebecca Matthews, senior Taylor Silva, and junior Rebecca Koshy scored two goals each for Iona. Senior Meghan Mahoney and senior Sara Bortz added one apiece.
In goal, sophomore Britten Vilander had seven saves and made three steals. On defense, the Gaels made 10 steals, three by Silva. The Gaels drew five Leopard kickouts, and were ejected five times, including Schultz being disqualified with 1:56 remaining in the game.
Although LaVerne got on the board first 1:14 into the match, Matthews answered 1:05 later to tie the score at one. Goals from Schultz and Mahoney gave the Gaels a 3-1 lead with 2:53 left in the first period. But in the final 49 seconds, the Leopards responded with two straight scores to tie the game at three going into the second period.
Matthews needed only 37 seconds in the second quarter to put Iona back on top 4-3. Schultz’s second score with 4:13 to go increased the Iona edge to two 5-3. The LaVerne offense rallied with two consecutive goals to tie the game for the third time at five with 1:34 until halftime. After Iona head coach Brian Kelly called a time out, the Gaels came back with straight scores from Bortz and Koshy to give Iona a 7-5 halftime advantage.
Outscoring the Gaels 3-1 in the third quarter, the Leopards pulled back within one 7-6 with 1:41 gone in the third, then tied the game at seven on a 6-5 advantage at the 4:10 mark. Schultz fired into the back of the net from seven meters out 1:03 later as Iona regained the lead 8-7. But LaVerne knotted the match at eight with 16 ticks left for the match’s fifth tie heading into the final period.
With 1:29 gone in the fourth, Silva gave the Gaels a 9-8 edge, then put them up 10-8 just 1:02 later. Over the next three minutes, the Leopards hit four unanswered goals to tie and take the lead 11-10 for the first time with 1:37 left. Koshy scored with three seconds remaining, but LaVerne had already sealed the win with another goal eight seconds before.
George Washington 10 Iona 8
In its second Saturday game, Iona lost 10-8 to George Washington University in a match that began Friday afternoon and was concluded 21 hours later.
Koshy led the Gaels with three goals, while Matthews and Schultz added two scores each. Bortz scored one goal.
In the goal, Vilander had eight saves and freshman Jordin Hale had one save.
Matthews needed only 35 seconds to put Iona ahead 1-0, as the Gaels held the Colonels scoreless until 1:26 left in the first period when the match was tied at one. George Washington took the lead 2-1 with 26 seconds remaining.
With 1:23 gone in the second period, the Colonels increased their advantage to 3-1, and made several steals in front of their goal to frustrate the Gael attack. Matthew’s backhand shot found the back of the cage with 4:58 remaining to narrow to pull Iona within one 3-2. In the next 1:17, the Colonels struck twice to pull ahead 5-2 with 2:48 to halftime. But 28 ticks later, Bortz narrowed the Colonel edge to two 5-3 at intermission.
The Colonels struck again 1:47 into the third period to led 6-3. With 5:43 left in the third, a wind-rain storm halted the match, which was resumed at noon Saturday. Once play restarted, the Colonels scored in 33 seconds to increase their advantage to 7-3. The Gaels capitalized on two 6-5 power plays as Koshy hit two straight goals to trim the George Washington edge to 7-5 with 2:07 left. A minute later the Colonels scored for an 8-5 lead going into the final period.
Just 1:46 into the fourth, the Colonels scored to go up 9-5, but Schultz skipped a shot into the back of net to pull the Gaels within three 9-6 with 5:48 left. On its next possession, George Washington regained a four-goal lead 10-6. Iona rallied in the final 1:24 with goals from Koshy and Schultz to pull within two 10-8, but fell short.
Iona 13 Clairemont-Mudd-Scripps 5
After falling behind in the opening quarter, the Iona women’s water polo team led the rest of the match to defeat Clairemont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges 13-5 in its fourth game at the 2016 Lancer Invitational.
Schultz led the Gaels with five goals on nine shots, Mahoney and Koshy had two each. Silva, Mahoney, senior Dana Andrea, sophomore Devika Joshi, freshman Alyssa Gayapa had one goal apiece.
In goal, Vilander had thirteen saves and three steals, Hale had one save, and Guerra had one save. On defense, the Gaels made eleven saves with four by Bortz and five by Andrea.
CMS scored first with 4:33 gone in the match, but Koshy answered to tie the score at one 42 seconds later. Mahoney put the Gaels up 2-1 with 2:40 remaining in the opening period.
Only 1:09 into the second period, the Athenas retied the score at two, then Schultz skipped in a five-meter penalty shot to put Iona back up 3-2 with 5:13 to go. Schultz’s second goal increased the Gael edge to 4-2 just 44 ticks later. Joshi scored with 1:57 left as Iona led 5-2 at halftime.
Schultz hit her third goal only 14 seconds into the third period to put Iona up four 6-2. CMS answered with a five-meter penalty shot with 4:46 on the clock, but Koshy’s second goal put the Gael lead back to four 7-3 1:13 later. With 27 seconds left, Silva’s lob gave Iona an 8-3 advantage going into the final period.
Taking advantage on a 6-5 power play 1:35 into the fourth quarter, Schultz added her fourth score, then her fifth 32 seconds later as Iona went up 10-3 with 5:32 left. Andrea added another goal 1:27 later, followed by Mahoney with 3:14 to go. Freshman Alyssa Gayapa sealed the win with her first collegiate goal with 1:22 remaining despite two last-minute CMS goals.
Even with today’s finale win, Iona head coach Brian Kelly felt that his squad could have done better without multiple “unforced errors.”
“It was frustrating trip for us because we had so many unforced errors,” Kelly said. “It’s one thing to get beat; it’s another thing to make errors that beat yourself.”
“I feel like it could have been a much different weekend had we just limited unforced turnovers alone. We got two weeks off, and look forward to correcting mistakes, and getting ready for league play.”
Iona begins its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule at Villanova University on Saturday, March 26 with matches against St. Francis (NY) College and Marist College.