LEXINGTON, VA. – The La Salle women's water polo team (14-6, 5-3 MAAC) secured its berth in the 2026 MAAC Water Polo Championship after a crucial 11-8 triumph over Siena on Saturday, capping the regular season with a statement victory.
Junior goalkeeper Lily Kirby broke her own single-game program record with a spectacular 20-save performance, anchoring the Explorers defensively and holding Siena to just two first-half goals.
Kirby also increased her career total to 629 saves, needing nine to pass Emma Gurasich for the all-time program record.
On the offensive end, junior center Samara Eschleman erupted for a season-high five goals in the contest, including her 150th career goal, which gave the Explorers a 2-0 lead early in the first quarter. Eschleman ranks second on the team with 43 goals this season.
Martina Bonet Saez added three goals and three assists to fuel the attack, bringing her season total to 34 goals and a team-high 29 assists.
Freshman attacker Nadya Azzopardi contributed another strong outing with two goals, one assist, and two steals, bringing her season total to a team-leading 53 goals.
The Explorers established control from the opening sprint, outscoring Siena 4-1 in the first quarter and 3-1 in the second to take a commanding 7-2 halftime lead.
Eschleman recorded the first two goals of the game to help set the tone early, while the defense, led by Kirby's record-setting performance, stifled Siena's attempts to rally.
In the second half, La Salle maintained its cushion despite a late push from the Saints, with timely saves and balanced scoring to secure the victory.
With the win, La Salle not only clinched its spot in the 2026 MAAC Championship but also finished MAAC play at 5-3.
The Explorers have now held opponents to eight or fewer goals for the eighth time this season, a mark that has correlated with a perfect 8-0 record in such games.
La Salle will return to action at the 2026 MAAC Championship in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., beginning with the semifinals on April 11 at 4 p.m. against top-seeded and 18th-ranked Marist, the regular season champions and tournament host.
