Women's Water Polo | May 1, 2021

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – In a thrilling, back-and-forth MAAC Championship semifinal, #24 women's water polo concluded its season with a 12-11 sudden death overtime defeat to #21 Marist. The Blue & Gold held a one-goal lead with ten seconds remaining in overtime, but the Red Foxes found the back of the net to force a golden-goal scenario. The home team then drew an exclusion and capitalized on the power play for the decisive goal.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Senior Sarah DeFusco opened the scoring less than a minute into the game, but the hosts soon found their footing and responded with three goals.
• Senior Madison Martinez scored twice and DeFusco added another at the start of the second quarter to give La Salle a 4-3 lead. A late Red Foxes score tied the game entering halftime.
• Marist began the scoring in the third, after which DeFusco caught fire and scored three straight. The home side answered and La Salle countered via a goal from sophomore Sophie Appler to take an 8-6 lead into the final frame of regulation.
• The Red Foxes battled back to begin the fourth, scoring three unanswered to take a 9-8 advantage. Martinez equalized for the Explorers and sophomore Emma Gurasich denied Marist with a few seconds remaining to push the game to overtime.
• Halfway through the first period of overtime, Marist found the first goal. Senior Karle Linden parried with a strike of her own at the 25 second mark as the team remained tied heading into the second stanza.
• This time, La Salle took the lead through sophomore Casey Malone, but the hosts would not go away and found the equalizer with nine seconds left to force a golden goal scenario.
• That goal went Marist's way after an exclusion call on Malone gave the home side a numbers advantage. Shinae Carrington converted.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• DeFusco and Martinez accounted for most of La Salle's offense on the day, accounting for eight of the 11 goals.
• Martinez continued to give the Explorers a numbers advantage in this game, leading the team with three kickouts drawn.
• Malone and junior Madelyn Koerper were the Explorers with multi-point games. Malone finished with a goal and an assist, while Koerper provided a team-leading two assists.
• Gurasich came up with a few timely saves, tallying an overall line of nine saves on 21 shots.