ERIE, Pa. — The Division III No. 9-ranked Washington & Jefferson College women’s water polo team battled to a split at the Gannon Invitational hosted by Gannon University. The Presidents suffered a loss to Salem University, 15-14, before battling back in a close 17-16 victory versus the host Golden Knights.
After both teams scored within the first minute during W&J’s opening game, Salem held the lead for the remainder of the first quarter. Emmie Ratcliff (Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood) netted a power-play goal on a pass from Laura Anthony (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) with 13 seconds left in the frame to tie the game at five-all.
Three Presidents had a hand in the comeback in the first quarter. Emmie Ratcliff recorded a hat trick. Anastacia Didovich (Venice, Fla./Venice) and Sydney Neumann (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) each netted a goal.
W&J outscored Salem in the second to come away with a 9-8 lead heading into the half. The Presidents four goals were scored by Emma Halle (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) who netted two coupled with goals by Hallie Ratcliff (Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood) and Didovich.
Salem responded in the third quarter with three goals while holding the Presidents to two in knotting the game at 11-all.
Salem scored to start the fourth quarter. Anthony, Neumann and Emme Ratcliff fired goals, but the Lions answered with a three goals of their own to claim a narrow 15-14 victory over the Presidents.
Emmie Ratcliff paced the W&J offense with four goals. Neumann had a hat trick. while Didovich, Hallie Ratcliff and Halle aslo netted multi-goal efforts with two each. Anthony dished a game-high three assists. Didovich racked up a game-high five steals.
Senior Alliey Cunningham (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) made eight saves in net for the Red & Black in game one with two steals and one assist.
Taking on the host Golden Knights, W&J found itself tied following the first quarter once again at four-all.
W&J started the second quarter with a 4-0 run, seeing scores by Halle (two), Emmie Ratcliff and Hallie Ratcliff. The Presidents secured a three-point lead in the second quarter outscoring the Golden Knights 7-4.
Gannon did its best to mitigate the W&J lead by limiting the Presidents to one goal in the third quarter. Halle netted the lone strike before the Golden Knights racked up three consecutive tallies to exit the third quarter down by one at 12-11.
Halle found the back of the cage once more to start the final quarter of play and inflate the Presidents’ lead to 13-11. The two teams traded goals until Gannon was able to net three consecutive goals to take the lead for the first time with 2:38 remaining at 15-14. Consecutive goals by Hallie Ratcliff and Anthony took back the lead for the Presidents, 16-15.
The Golden Knights tied the game once more with 12 seconds left in regulation play at 16-all. However, Neumann netted the game winning goal for the Presidents with six seconds left on the clock to earn W&J its inaugural defeat of the Golden Knights since 2006.
Hallie Ratcliff scored a team high five goals in the bout. Seniors Anthony and Halle both netted four and Emmie Ratcliff followed with three. Emmie Ratcliff and Cunningham each served up two assists, while Halle and Neumann led the team in steals with two each.
Cunningham collected 13 saves to earn the win.
Information courtesy Washington & Jefferson College Athletics Communications
