Women's Water Polo | February 17, 2023

ERIE, Pa. – The La Salle women's water polo team heads to Erie, Pennsylvania for the Mercyhurst Invitational where it will take on opponents Penn State Behrend, Gannon, Mercyhurst and Bucknell.
 
The Explorers kick off the weekend on Friday, Feb. 17 against Penn State Behrend at 7 p.m. La Salle will then keep the weekend going with a two-game stretch on Saturday, Feb. 18 against Gannon at 10:15 a.m. followed by Mercyhurst at 3 p.m. The Blue & Gold will wrap up the weekend against Bucknell on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 10:30 a.m.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• La Salle enters the contest at 4-3 on the season recently winning back-to-back contests against Mercyhurst and Saint Francis (Pa.).
• The Explorers most recently defeated the Red Flash for the second time this season in a 5-4 win decided by a successful five-meter attempt from Francesca Co' in the final minute.
• Co' leads the team in goals (19), steals (13) and field blocks (5).
• Hannah Woren leads the team in assists with eight.
• Emma Gurasich has been the leading goalie for the Explorers with 48 saves on the season.

SCOUTING THE LIONS:

• The contest against the Explorers will be the first for the Lions this season following an 8-18 record last year.
• Last season, the team's eight wins tied the program record for most wins in a single season.
• All-Americans Shannon Young and Marley Persch return to action for the Lions this season. Young earned an honorable mention for the second-straight year while Persch was named CWPA Rookie of the Year. The duo leads the scoring for the Lions with 47 goals apiece.
• Young and Persch were joined by Emily McNaughton on the All-CWPA team in 2022.
• Head coach Joe Tristan returns for another season after being named the 2022 CWPA Coach of the Year.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS:

• Gannon enters the contest at 0-4 most recently dropping a crushing 23-6 loss against Marist on Feb. 4.
• The Golden Knights were led by Jade Strickland in the contest with three of the team's six goals. She has nine goals total this season scoring two in the game against Wagner
• Gannon is 0-1 when playing the Explorers this season dropping the last matchup at the Bruno Classic 13-3. Strickland scored all three goals for the Golden Knights converting two on power plays.

SCOUTING THE LAKERS:

• Mercyhurst enters the contest at 0-5 on the season and is seeking its first win of the season.
• The Lakers most recently dropped a tough 16-4 loss against St. Francis Brooklyn and will face Iona before coming head-to-head with the Explorers.
• Hanna Good leads the charge for the Lakers this season with a team-high six goals.
• Sara Marin follows close behind with five goals and two assists.
• Goalkeeper Panna Mozbauer registered 23 saves and five steals in the goal for Mercyhurst this season.
• Mercyhurst is 0-1 when playing La Salle this season dropping its last contest with the Blue & Gold 15-4. Marin recorded a team-high two goals in the game.

SCOUTING THE BISON:

• Bucknell enters the contest at 3-9 on the season most recently snapping a four-game skid with a single-point victory, 10-9, over Villanova on Feb. 12. The Bison are set to face Iona before taking on the Explorers.
• The Bison's Boati Motau converted a key penalty shot with 34 seconds remaining to break the 9-9 tie in the game against the Wildcats and lead Bucknell to victory.
• Motau led the last four games for the Bison with 10 goals including five in the game against Villanova.
• Isabelle Monaghan leads the scoring for Bucknell with a team-leading 17 goals this season.