NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona College Women’s Water Polo team opened up Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play with a 13-8 defeat to the defending conference champion Wagner Seahawks Saturday night.
Junior Hannah Schultz led the Gaels with three goals. Senior Rebecca Koshy and junior Megan Hofer tallied a pair. In net, junior Britten Vilander made nine saves and collected four steals.
The Seahawks put themsevles ahead with an early strike just 48 seconds into the contest before Schultz knotted the score back even. Schultz answered another Wagner goal to knot the score at two. Koshy and Schultz each found the back of the net within the final two minutes to give the Maroon & Gold a 4-2 lead heading into the second frame.
Wagner pulled to within one early in the second before Joshi put the Gaels back up a pair. The Seahawks closed out the period scoring the next two while holding Iona off the scoresheet, with the scoreboard reading a 5-5 score at half.
The defending champions scored four goals in the third frame, as the defense stymied the Gaels holding Iona scoreless in the quarter.
Hofer stopped the 6-0 Wagner run to pull Iona back within four. Iona was unable to gain consistency before the final horn sounded, dropping the contest 13-8.
