Women's Water Polo | January 28, 2022

LEWISBURG, Pa. – The La Salle women's water polo team, led by head coach Tom Hyham in his fourth season, begins its 2022 campaign this weekend with a series of four games over the course of two days.
 
The Explorers will travel to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania to take on the Bucknell Bison on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 9 a.m. before battling it out with Mercyhurst later that afternoon at 2:20 p.m.
 
On Sunday, La Salle will wrap up play in Lewisburg against St. Francis Brooklyn at 9 a.m. before making the trip back to Philadelphia to take on #20 Princeton at home in Kirk Pool at 5 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• The Explorers return to the pool following an 11-5 season, going 6-2 in conference play, last year. Six of the Explorers' victories came at home in Kirk Pool. La Salle was picked third in the 2022 MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• La Salle made it to the semifinals of the 2021 MAAC Championships falling to then #1 Marist in a double-overtime thriller. Returning players Sarah DeFusco and Madison Martinez accounted for most of La Salle's offense in the game with eight of the 11 goals.
• DeFusco and Madelyn Koerper led the offensive effort for the Explorers last season. DeFusco totaled a team high 49 goals and rattled off 113 shots for a 43% shot percentage last season. Koerper shot 56% on the season making 42 of her 75 shots at the net.
• Sophia Appler was a defensive force finishing the campaign with a team-high 11 blocks and 24 steals.
• Emma Gurasich started 11 games in the net last season saving 47% of shots that came her way for a total of 113 saves.
• As a squad, the Explorers recorded 233 goals last season and shot 48%.
• The Blue & Gold adds three freshmen to the mix this season: Sophia Boettner, Tatum Lomax and Francesca Co'.
• Graduate student Kalista Hyham comes to 20^th & Olney this season following four years at Bucknell. Hyham was recently named Co-Player of the Year by the MAAC to start the season.

SCOUTING THE BISON:

• Bucknell ended the season with an 8-4 record. The Bison dropped its first game against La Salle to start 2021, but claimed victory in game two over the Explorers.
• Due to the shortened season, seniors Paige Furano and Larissa Hodzic are the only two Bison to have experienced a year with a full slate of games.
• Bucknell's leading goal scorers last season, Ally Furano and Kalista Hyham, will not return to the pool for the Bison this year leaving the younger Furano sister to step up as a veteran on the squad. Paige Furano set the single-game scoring record for the Bison in 2019 with seven goals in one contest.
• Megan LaCroix returns as a leading helping hand for Bucknell recording a number of assists last season.
• Altogether, Bucknell returns 12 of its roster members from last season and welcomes seven new additions.
• The game against the Explorers will be the season opener for both teams.

SCOUTING THE LAKERS:

• Mercyhurst ended last year at 9-7. This will be the first time the Lakers have faced the Explorers since the 2020 season in which Mercyhurst game out victorious by a single point, 13-12.
• The Lakers lost their two leading scorers after last season, but welcome back junior Hanna Good who ranked third on the team with 18 goals and 28 points last year.
• 2021 All-Freshmen Sakura Gavin and Rachel Vlietstra return for their second season. Vlietstra's seven goals and 10 assists last year landed her with WWPA Newcomer of the Year honors.
• Senior Sara Martin also returns to the pool having recorded 16 goals and five assists last year. Her performance earned her an All-Conference Honorable Mention nod.
• This marks the first slate of games this season for the Lakers.

SCOUTING THE TERRIERS:

•  After having not played during the 2021 season, St. Francis Brooklyn returns to the pool after a 2-14 performance in 2020. One of the teams two victories game in the second game of the season against the Explorers at the La Salle Invitational on Feb. 2.
• Leading goal scorer, Emma Leto, returns to the pool following a 24-goal performance in the 2020 season.
• Tate Renata led the Terriers in points with 27 on 16 goals and 11 assists in 2020 while Kirra Hemric led the defensive effort with 13 steals. Both return to the lineup this year.
• Altogether, the roster welcomes back 13 members, six of which are sophomores and have yet to compete collegiately.
• The Terriers add four fresh faces to the list this season.

SCOUTING THE TIGERS:

• Princeton enters the game on Sunday ranked at #20 in the nation. So far this season, the Tigers are 2-2 having recorded wins over #21 California Baptist and Iona.
• Jovana Sekulic was recently named College Water Polo Association (CWPA) Rookie of the Week following a 14-goal performance over four games.
• Nicole Kresich currently ranks second on the squad in points with five goals and seven assists this season.
• Kaila Carroll and Meera Burghardt have recorded seven goals apiece so far while Kayla Yelensky has totaled six.
• The squad welcomes back 16 familiar faces this season and adds five newcomers to the lineup.
• The Tigers last faced the Explorers in 2020 claiming the 12-3 victory at home in Denunzio Pool.
• The contest between La Salle and Princeton on Sunday marks the home opener for the Explorers and will be available live on YouTube.