Women's Water Polo | March 10, 2019

LEXINGTON, Va. –On the second day of MAAC Weekend, La Salle kept both of their games close but fell to Iona and VMI. In their morning game against the Gaels, the Explorers conceded a 15-8 result. Later that day they faced the Keydets, with the home team nicking a 14-13 win.
 
Iona 15, La Salle 8
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Thirty seconds in, the Explorers struck first through freshman Madelyn Koerper. Thirty seconds later, Iona had equalized. The Gaels then took a brief lead before Koerper scored again to tie things up to end the first quarter.
• The second quarter bore the most goals of any frame and began with a quick Iona tally. La Salle responded with a goal from sophomore Sarah DeFusco, but the Gaels answered back with two more of their own. The two teams then traded goals twice before Iona netted again to bring an 8-5 lead into the half.
• Iona raced out of the gates in the third quarter four straight goals to stretch a commanding margin before Koerper ended the run with a late goal.
• The Gaels and Explorers would keep the final quarter much closer with a 3-2 fourth.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Koerper was the main offensive force of the game for La Salle. She found the back of the net four times against the Gaels. DeFusco was the other multiple-goal Explorer in the game with two finishes.
• Sophomore Jillian Delisle provided for the most goals with five assists. Meanwhile, Koerper had a team-high in exclusions earned with five to go with two blocks.

VMI 13, La Salle 12
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The home team got on the scoresheet initially, but it was La Salle who went on the first notable offensive. They responded to VMI's goal with three unanswered. After that, the Keydets scored twice on either side of an Explorers goal from junior Stephanie Morales to close the quarter with a narrow 4-3 score favoring La Salle.
• The second quarter was largely a wave of momentum for the hosts. La Salle managed to extend their lead with a goal twenty seconds in from DeFusco until the Keydets struck for two and equalized. Delisle halted the run momentarily with a finish midway through the frame, but VMI ended the second by scoring four.
• The Explorers responded brilliantly in the third by striking for three and tying the game up yet again. Both sides would then trade goals twice to close the period on level terms. 
• With the score locked at 11-11 in the fourth, La Salle and VMI parried back and forth. VMI took the lead twice, and La Salle tied it up again twice. The Keydets, however, scored the decisive goal with 41 seconds remaining to win it.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• DeFusco led La Salle in this contest by scoring half of the team's goals. Her six were followed by sophomores Karle Linde and Madison Martinez with three and two respectively.
• Both DeFusco and Martinez had solid all-around games as each recorded two assists and three steals.
• Delisle had another stellar match playing the provider role—she finished with four assists.
• In goal, junior Jenny Fermaintt tallied seven saves on 21 shots, while also picking up a steal.

 UP NEXT

• The Explorers are off next weekend before resuming conference play in Staten Island. They'll face Siena and Wagner on Saturday, March 23 and then go up against Villanova on Sunday, March 24.