LEXINGTON, VA – La Salle women's water polo (13-6, 4-3 MAAC) earned a split in a critical Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at the VMI Aquatic Center, suffering a 9-3 defeat to No. 18 Marist before rebounding with a resilient 14-13 win over Iona on Saturday afternoon.
La Salle put the setback behind them in the second game against Iona, rallying from a 6-3 deficit with 2:02 left in the second quarter to outlast the Gaels 14-13 in a pivotal MAAC showdown. The Explorers trailed by at least two goals on four separate occasions before powering past Iona in the fourth quarter.
Junior attacker Martina Bonet Saez delivered a brilliant three-goal, three-assist performance. Bonet Saez netted a pivotal goal from the 5-meter area to put the Explorers ahead 14-12 with 1:30 left in the game.
Junior goalkeeper Lily Kirby anchored the defense with 10 saves and two steals, including the 600th save of her career in the second quarter.
Four additional Explorers recorded multi-goal games, including three goals from junior center Samara Eschleman.
Nadya Azzopardi, Claire Durham, and Claire McCulloch each tallied two goals in the contest. Azzopardi also matched Bonet Saez with a team-high three assists.
Senior attacker Ella Tice also added a goal and two assists in the victory.
Earlier this season in a non-league game, La Salle rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second quarter to defeat Iona 12-10 in the season opener.
La Salle opened the day against nationally ranked No. 18 Marist and endured its most lopsided loss of the season.
The Explorers converted just 10% of their 29 shots and finished 1-for-6 on power plays, leading to a season-low three goals.
Senior attacker Grace Smith accounted for two-thirds of the offense with a pair of goals, adding a steal and drawing two exclusions.
Junior attacker Amanda Fadil chipped in the team's third tally and added a steal, while Kirby made 11 saves and recorded four steals in goal.
The Explorers started strong, leading 1-0 after the opening quarter, but Marist responded with a decisive 5-0 run in the second period to seize control.
La Salle wraps up its weekend at the VMI Aquatic Center with a crucial MAAC matchup in the regular season finale against Siena on Sunday, March 29 at 9:30 a.m.
