The Gannon University women’s water polo team, which snapped a three-game losing streak with a 17-9 win over Grove City Thursday, will look to make it two in a row Thursday in an 8 p.m. match at Penn State Behrend.
Prior to the win over Grove City, the Knights lost to Sonoma State University, California State University East Bay and Indiana University.
In the win over Grove City, the Knights had to endure a 40-minute delay at the start of the match due to a lack of officials. Once they started, Gannon scored 33 seconds into the match on a goal from senior Rachel Bednarek. Senior Shanen Lazenby sandwiched two around a goal from sophomore Francesca Williamson, making it 4-0 in favor of the Knights.
Gannon continued with four unanswered goals, as sophomore Lizzie Rodriguez made the score 5-0 before the Knights netted three more.
Sophomore Liz Barr ripped one with 1 minute, 56 seconds left in the half before junior Kayla Villano and sophomore Grace Villano each scored in the final 48 seconds, giving the Knights an 8-0 lead going into the half.
Grove City was able to rope together three in the second half before sophomore Kristi Howe scored three of the next five goals and Williamson and junior Jessica Hydock each added one, giving Gannon a 13-3 lead.
Grove City netted six more goals but it wasn’t enough as the Knights scored four more in the fourth quarter to earn the win.
Prior to the meeting with Grove City, the Knights weren’t having much luck, losing all three games at the Fluid Five hosted by Indiana University, with a 17-6 loss to Sonoma, an 18-7 loss to California State University East Bay and a 16-4 loss to Indiana.
Against Sonoma, sophomore Alison Cooney recorded her fourth hat trick of the season. Other big scorers for Gannon were Lazenby and Kayla Villano. Bednarek and Barr also each recorded four steals.
Freshman goalie Isabelle Vieira also saw nearly 23 minutes of action and knocked down five shots while allowing 10 goals.
Against California, Cooney led both teams in scoring with four goals, Lazenby had two and Barr netted one. Emily Rodriguez started her 12th consecutive match in goal with five saves and two steals. Vieira took over the final eight minutes.
Cooney has found the back of the net in all 12 matches this season and Lazenby recorded multiple-goal games for the fourth time this season.
In the loss to Indiana University, sophomore Makayla Williams recorded a season-high three steals against the No. 16 ranked team.
Barr and Cooney accounted for the scoring with two goals each. Vieira played the latter half of the match and turned away one shot while letting five slip through.
Following Thursday’s match at Penn State Behrend the Knights travel to Mercyhurst to take on the Lakers in a Saturday showdown starting at noon.
BRANDON JACES
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