Women's Water Polo | April 14, 2024

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle water polo team (15-18, 5-7 MAAC) split four games over the weekend to earn a trip to MAAC championships for the fourth consecutive season. The weekend was capped off by a 9-8 victory in a de facto tournament play-in game against Big 5 rival Villanova. The Explorers' victory over the Wildcats gives the team a perfect 3-0 record against their mainline rivals this season.
 
Lily Kirby earned her 282^nd save on the year in the final game against Villanova to set a new program single-season mark. The previous season-high was 272 set by Emma Guarasich in 2022.
 
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HOW IT HAPPENED - VMU (W, 22-11)

• La Salle stormed out of the gates early, racking up nine goals in the first quarter to go up 9-2.
• The Explorers kept the momentum in the second as the squad dominated with defense. La Salle blanked the Keydets 6-0 in the frame to expand the lead to 15-2 at the half, its largest halftime advantage of the season.
• VMI was able to cut into the lead in the second half as La Salle pulled the starters. The Explorers began the weekend with a 22-11 victory.
• 11 of the 14 non-goalkeepers on the roster found the back of the net. The 22 goals La Salle put up are the most the team has scored this season and the third most in program history.
• Francesca Co' led La Salle on both sides of the ball, scoring seven goals and racking up six steals.

HOW IT HAPPENED – #20 LIU (L, 19-8)

• LIU came out hot, taking a 6-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
• The Sharks kept the clamps on, keeping La Salle out of the goal until Martina Bonet Saez broke through with 5:53 left in the second (7-1). Co' added another to counter an LIU goal to send the teams into the half, 8-2.
• La Salle found its footing in the second half, ripping off three goals in the first two minutes of the second (8-5). Hannah Woren, Bonet Saez, and Paige Mitchell scored for the Explorers during the run. The teams traded goals for the next few minutes, with Sofia Kolovou scoring for the Explorers. LIU ended the third on a 3-1 run to build the lead to 12-7.
• The Sharks won the final frame 7-1. Ella Tice scored the lone goal for La Salle.

HOW IT HAPPENED – #18 WAGNER (L, 14-9)

• The first quarter was loaded with action. Wagner got out to a 5-1 early advantage, with Bonet Saez scoring for the Explorers. Tatum Lomax spurred a run for La Salle with two quick goals, Co' added one more to send the Seahawks into the break with a 5-4 lead.
• Like the first, the second quarter was played at a frantic pace. The teams traded goals back and forth. Woren twice dented the twine for La Salle (7-6, Wagner). Co' struck to finally tie the game at seven all, but the Seahawks scored the final three goals to take a 10-7 lead into halftime.
• Wagner struck first in the third quarter, but La Salle refused to go away. Casey Malone and Co' fired darts into the back of the cage to pull the team back within two, 9-11.
• Wagner scored all three goals in the final frame to secure the 14-9 win.
• Co' scored thrice for La Salle.

HOW IT HAPPENED – VILLANOVA (W, 9-8)

• La Salle exploded early, with four different Explorers (Lomax, Kolovou, Malone, and Woren) scoring in the first quarter to build an early 4-0 lead. Villanova scored once as time wound down in the first (4-1).
• The second quarter belonged to the Wildcats. Villanova outscored La Salle 3-1 to claw back into the game, Bonet Saez was the lone Explorer to dent the twine in the second. La Salle carried a 5-4 lead into the half.
• Villanova kept the momentum to start the third, tying the game at 5 in quick fashion. La Salle found its offense again in quick order, ripping off three straight goals to end the third quarter. Kolovou, Lomax, and Co' all scored for La Salle.
• The Wildcats added another to start the third, followed closely by a Co' penalty shot conversion. As time wound down, Villanova had a last gasp with under two minutes remaining, scoring twice to cut the lead to one, 9-8. The Explorers were able to drain the clock on the final possession of the game, securing the 9-8 win.

UP NEXT

• La Salle will head to the MAAC Championship at Marist on April 26-28.