The Gannon University women’s water polo team split its matches in the Saint Francis Open Saturday in Loretto, Pa., opening the tournament with a 7-5 win over rival Mercyhurst and falling to host Saint Francis, 11-9.
The split left the Knights with a 5-13 overall record going into the Penn State Behrend Tournament, which is scheduled for March 30-31.
Campbell Ruh started the scoring for Gannon in its win over Mercyhurst, firing off two goals in the first period to give her team an early lead.
Kelly Fehr and Julia Kredinger both had assists on the goals.
Mercyhurst then rallied with two goals to tie the game up at 2-2 in the second period.
The Knights dominated the third period, scoring four straight goals to lead 6-2.
Sydney Fountain scored the first two goals, assisted by Ruh and Lauren Rinderle, respectively.
Fehr scored the other two goals and both were unassisted.
In the fourth period, Mercyhurst rallied back with three out of the four goals that were scored, but the Lakers came up short.
Ruh scored Gannon’s only goal with an assist from Fountain with a little more than four minutes remaining.
Nicole Wiemken was strong on defense, notching two important steals in the close game.
Isabelle Vieira was also outstanding in goal, making 16 saves to earn the win for the Knights.
In Gannon’s second game, the Knights were unable to hold off Saint Francis.
The Red Flash were dominant in the first period, scoring four goals to Gannon’s one.
Ruh scored Gannon’s only goal in the first at 6:03.
The Knights were not going down easily, rallying with three goals after coach Shane Unger took a strategic yellow card.
Fehr had two of the goals while Rinderle had the third to cut Saint Francis’ lead to 5-4.
Fountain tied the contest at the 4-minute mark of the second period with a goal and Fehr scored before intermission, but Saint Francis once again scored to keep its lead at 7-6.
In the third, Saint Francis scored the first two goals, but Gannon once again rallied with goals from Ruh and Silvija Taraska.
Fehr tied the game at 9-all in the third with a goal at 1:55.
But Gannon went scoreless in the final quarter while the Red Flash scored two more goals to take the win.
Vieira made 10 saves against the Red Flash, with four of them coming in the first period.
In the Penn State Behrend Tournament, the Knights will take on Washington & Jefferson at 12:30 p.m. and Villanova at 8 p.m. on March 30.

BRITTANY METZLER
[email protected]