PRINCETON, N.J. — The No. 13-ranked Princeton University women’s water polo team dropped No. 19 Brown University, 12-6, in Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) competition prior to turning back Siena College, 14-7, and La Salle University, 16-6, to wrap-up the Princeton Invitational with a 5-0 mark in DeNunzio Pool.
Taking on Brown, the first half was close affair despite Princeton leading throughout. The Tigers led 2-1 after eight minutes and 5-3 at halftime.
Princeton began to pull away in the second half, scoring three of the first four goals to claim an 8-4 advantage. After the Bears registered a tally with 1:49 left in the third quarter, the Tigers countered with four straight to put the contest out of reach.
For Princeton, Kayla Yelensky and Laura Larkin both posted three goals to register hat-tricks. Jovana Sekulic chipped in a pair with the quartet of Rachael Carver, Kaila Carroll, Kate Mallery and Shanna Davidson accounting for solo markers.
Lindsey Lucas made six saves to earn the win in cage.
Princeton continued its roll versus Siena as the Tigers’ offense started off on fire with six consecutive goals while pitching a shutout in the first quarter. The Orange & Black led by as many as seven in the first half and led 10-4 at halftime.
The home team was not threatened in the second half. Alexa Kourepenos made her first career start in goal and had five saves in the win.
Davidson (three), Sekulic (two) and Delainey Whelan (two) led the offense with multi-goal games. Yelensky, Sophie Johnson, Carroll, Alyssa Woolley, Annie Robinson, Mallery and Lucas stuffed in solo scores.
In the tournament finale against La Salle, the Tigers did not allow a tally in the first frame to claim a 3-0 lead by the end of the first eight minutes of action, Princeton’s offense exploded for 10 goals over the next two quarters, expanding its lead to 13-4 entering the final frame on the way to a 10-score victory.
Princeton – which has now won eight consecutive games and upped its record to 12-1 on the season – received multi-goal games from Carroll (four), Yelensky (two), Davidson (two), Carver (two) and Sekulic (two) and single strikes by Mallery, Whelan, Larkin and Ava Houlahan.
Historically, Sekulic netted her 100th career goal in 37 games in helping to upend the Explorers.
Lucas stopped nine shots in the win.
Information courtesy Princeton University Athletics Communications
