Women's Water Polo | February 15, 2020

ERIE, Pa. – Women's water polo opened up the Mercyhurst Invite on Saturday by splitting its pair of games. La Salle (4-5) defeated McKendree 15-11 via  a scintillating fourth quarter following a 18-15 defeat to Salem earlier in the afternoon. The offense flowed through junior Sarah DeFusco in both contests as La Salle's number eight finished with seven goals and seven assists. Classmate Madison Martinez was another consistent goal threat with six scores, while senior Katelynn Kubo netted five times.
 
Salem 18, La Salle 15
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first frame was a battle and one that neither team would back down in. Salem jumped in front on three occasions and each time the Explorers answered back. Eventually La Salle got in front, 4-3, via Kubo. Salem scored, Kubo responded, and the Tigers equalized again to bring the game to 5-5 after one.
• The one-two punch of DeFusco and Martinez gave the Blue & Gold a bright start to the second period, but three unanswered from Salem put the Tigers in front 8-7 at the break.
• The tide turned in the third as Salem rattled off five straight scores. The Explorers outscored their opponent 2-1 over the remaining two minutes but trailed 14-9 going into the fourth.
• The Tigers largely kept La Salle at armlength for most of the final frame. The Blue & Gold's push came down 17-11 when sophomore Madelyn Koerper scored three straight and Martinez chipped in to cut the deficit to two. A strike from Salem pushed the gap back to three where it would remain.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Statistically Kubo had her best game of the season as the number five scored four and assisted two while also tallying two steals.
• Koerper matched that goal output with four, adding an assist.
• DeFusco finished second on the team in points with three goals and three assists. Martinez was the other Explorers with multiple goals in the game, scoring twice.
• Junior Jillian DeLisle once again paced the team in assists with six.
• Junior Karle Linden and freshman Casey Malone each got on the scoresheet. The pair amounted for all of the team's blocks with Linden rejecting twice and Malone once.

 
La Salle 15, McKendree 11
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bearcats began the brighter of the two sides, outscoring La Salle 4-3 in the first.
• That advantage would only extend in a low-scoring second period as McKendree edged the Explorers 2-1.
• The Blue & Gold hit its stride out of the half, putting five past the Bearcats and only allowing three scores.
• With the game tied 9-9, La Salle continued to ride the momentum in the final frame. The Explorers outscored McKendree 6-2 to run away with the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• DeFusco had her hands all over the offense in this game with four goals and four assists, adding two exclusions earned.
• She was one of four Explorers with multi-goal games: Martinez matched her with four strikes, while freshman Sophie Appler netted a hattrick and fellow rookie Shanna Zuanich tallied a brace.
• DeLisle was the team's top provider with five assists, also tallying two steals and three exclusions earned.
• Not to be outdone, Koerper also dished out three assists and finished with a team-high six exclusions earned.
• Linden followed with five kickouts drawn and led the team with a quintet of steals.

UP NEXT

• La Salle concludes the Laker Invite Sunday with games against Mercyhurst (10:30 a.m.) and Gannon (4:45 p.m.).