Women's Water Polo | February 27, 2022

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The La Salle women's water polo team suffered a 14-5 loss against conference foe Wagner on Saturday morning before rallying to defeat Iona in a non-conference contest, 14-11, on Saturday evening.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED (WAGNER):

• Wagner started the period on a 2-0 run before Kalista Hyham found the back of the net to put La Salle on the board, 2-1. The Seahawks added one more goal in the frame to take a 3-1 lead into the second period.
• The Seahawks went on a 3-0 run in the second period before being met with back-to-back goals by Madelyn Koerper and Shanna Zuanich. La Salle ended the period trailing by three, 6-3.
• Tatum Lomax cut the Explorers' deficit to just two, 6-4, early in the third period. Wagner put together a 4-0 run through the remainder of the stanza to take a 10-4 lead into the final period of play.
• Hyham started the final period strong with her second goal of the night to cut the deficit to half, 10-5. La Salle wouldn't find the back of the net again in the game dropping the contest 14-5.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (WAGNER):

• Hyham led the scoring effort with two goals and three shots. She added one assist and drew three exclusions.
• Francesca Co' and Karle Linden led the defensive effort with two blocks each. Linden also recorded one assist in the game.
• Emma Gurasich played the entire game in net making 11 saves and adding one assist.
• Lomax led the team in shots with five.
• La Salle went 0-4 in sprints.

HOW IT HAPPENED (IONA):

• La Salle jumped out to an early lead with a goal from Sophia Boettner. Iona went on a quick 3-0 run to take a two-point lead over the Explorers before Sarah DeFusco found the back of the net for La Salle's second goal, 3-2. The teams traded goals once again with Zuanich keeping La Salle within a single point of the lead, 4-3. The Gaels added two more goals to end the stanza to take a 6-3 lead into the second period.
• The Explorers held the 4-2 advantage with goals from Lomax, Hyham and DeFusco to come within a single point of the lead at the end of the period, 8-7.
• La Salle tied it twice in the third period before back-to-back goals from Co' and Hyham put La Salle in the lead for the first time of the game, 11-9.
• Sophia Appler put the Explorers up by three halfway through the final period, 12-9. The Gaels came within two points of the lead two more times, but La Salle had the final say pulling ahead by three to end the game, 14-11.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS (IONA):

• DeFusco was the leading goal scorer for La Salle with four goals in the contest. She shot 80% in the game.
• Zuanich, Co' and Hyham recorded two goals apiece while Lomax, Martinez, Appler and Koerper each contributed one.
• Lomax was the leading helping hand with a team-high four assists.
• Casey Malone helped to lead the defensive effort with a team-high two steals.
• Gurasich defended the net the entire game making eight saves while contributing one assist and four steals.
• La Salle won all four opening sprints in the game. 

UP NEXT:

• The Explorers head to California on Mar. 3 through Mar. 5 to face Chapman, Santa Clara, Claremont MS, Fresno Pacific and Monterey Bay.