ERIE, Pa. — The Penn State Behrend women’s water polo team opened its season with a 26-6 loss to the La Salle University Explorers at home in the Junker Center.
The Explorers put up three goals in the first two minutes of the game before giving up one to the Lions. La Salle held the Lions to just one more goal in the frame while racking up another seven if its own taking a 10-2 lead. Francesca Co’ led La Salle’s charge in the first eight minutes with four goals.
La Salle came out strong putting together another 10-goal frame led by two-goal efforts from both Co’ and Grace Smith.
The scoring slowed for the Explorers in the second half with just six more goals from five different Explorers. La Salle held the Lions to just three goals in the last 16 minutes for the 20-point margin of victory, its largest this season.
12 different Explorers recorded goals in the game including eight with multiple goals. Paige Mitchell and Casey Malone served as the second-leading goal scorers in the contest with three apiece.
Caitlin Valentine recorded 12 saves for La Salle in the net, just three shy of tying the single-game record, set by fellow goalkeeper Emma Gurasich earlier this season.
Shannon Young (Roseville, Calif./Roseville) found the back of the net three times for the Lions to lead Behrend’s offense.
Marley Persch (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville), Nic Darrell (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) and Susie Carrillo (Fresno, Calif./Clovis North Educational Center) also scored for Penn State Behrend.
Information courtesy La Salle University & Penn State Behrend Athletics Communications
