NORTON, Mass. — The No. 9 seed Wheaton College (Mass.) women's water polo team was defeated by No. 8 seed Pennsylvania State University Behrend, 13-4, this morning in the opening round of the Collegiate Water Polo Association Tournament Championship hosted by Wheaton at Balfour Natatorium in Norton, Mass.
The Lyons fall to 0-18 on the season, while the Lions improve to 5-15.
Penn State Behrend out-shot Wheaton, 34-23, and held the Lyons without a goal in three of four quarters.
First year attacker Claudia Gagné (Orlando, Fla.) led Wheaton with three goals and three drawn exclusions and sophomore Ryanna Ritting (Perkasie, Pa.) scored a goal, came up with a pair of steals and blocked a shot. Senior attacker Issabel Babikova (South Portland, Maine) assisted on a goal and registered two steals, a drawn exclusion and a field block. First year goalie Andeuena Kraja (Chicago, Ill.) stopped 14 shots for the Lyons.
Junior utility player Makenzie Rickerd (Rockford, Mich.) and junior driver Susie Carrillo (Fresno, Calif.) each tallied four points, including three goals apiece to lead PSB. Rickerd and Carrillo also added a steal each, while senior utility player Darragh Martin (Green Lane, Pa.) netted three goals to go with a steal and a drawn exclusion. Junior goalie Monica Villasenor (San Gabriel, Calif.).
The Lions scored the first eight goals of the game, including all three markers in the first and all five goals in the second quarter. Rickerd scored three times to fuel the opening stretch, while Martin and Carrillo each contributed with two goals apiece.
Wheaton got on the board with all four of its tallies coming in the third quarter. The Lyons scored four of the first six goals of the third period, including back-to-back markers from Gagné to pull Wheaton within 10-4 with 71 seconds left in the quarter.
Sophomore utility player Hope Edwards (Bloomfield, Mich.) scored the final goal of the third period with just 39 ticks left on the clock for Penn State Behrend. First year driver Kaitlyn True (Denton, Texas) and Martin netted the only goals of the fourth quarter to close out the scoring for both teams.
The Lyons will be in action again tomorrow when they take on No. five seed Austin College at 11:30 a.m. in Norton, while PSB returns to action later today when it plays top-seeded Augustana College (Ill.) at 4:00 p.m.
