PRINCETON, N.J. — The George Washington University women’s water polo dropped both ends of a doubleheader at the Princeton University Invitational. In the opener, the Colonials fell in overtime to Long Island Universty, 17-16, before finishing the day at DeNunzio Pool by coming up short versus No. 17-ranked Wagner College, 17-10.
Alana Ponce continued to lead the Buff and Blue by tallying nine goals over the two games.
In the day’s opener versus Long Island, The Sharks equalized late and then scored three times in the first overtime period to take a back-and-forth battle.
The teams traded goals most of the way with neither squad ever leading by more than two goals. GW went ahead at 14-13 on Ponce’s score with 2:02 remaining before LIU tied it on Jessica Dean’s goal with 19 seconds left.
Dean scored two of LIU’s three goals in the first three-minute extra period to stake the Sharks to a 17-15 advantage. Katherine Atherton‘s goal with 2:12 left in the second overtime made it a one-goal game, but the Colonials could not produce the equalizer.
Ponce scored four of her team-high five goals in the fourth quarter and also added three assists, three ejections drawn, two steals and two field blocks.
Marina Daroca Bazán chipped in three goals and four helpers with Kira Bruno also scoring three times. Atherton and Belanger both netted a pair.
In the GW net, Mackenzie Matheny made nine stops in the opener.
Facing Wagner, the Colonials scored the first goal of the game, but the nationally-ranked Seahawks responded with seven of the next eight scores to grab control.
Ponce scored four times against Wagner to run her team-leading season total to 41 goals through 10 games.
Mia Rosenblatt converted two of her three shots into goals, while Bruno, Atherton and Belanger also found the net in the nightcap.
Hannah Hathaway set a career high by drawing four ejections to boost the GW attack.
Release courtesy George Washington University Athletics Communications
