BRIDGEPORT, W. Va. — The Mercyhurst University women’s water polo team dropped a 15-9 game to McKendree University on the final day of the Salem Invitational hosted by Salem University at the Bridge Sports Complex.
In the first quarter, McKendree scored four straight goals to open the contest. Freshman Bailey Dunn killed their momentum, and got Mercyhurst on the board with a goal. The Bearcats responded with a goal of their own just 40 seconds later. Junior Freya Green answered for the Lakers in narrowing the deficit back to three as Mercyhurst trailed 5-2 going into the second quarter.
Green commenced the second quarter with her second goal before Dunn rifled in her second goal of the game to move the Lakers within one at 5-4. However, the Bearcats scored back-to-back markers to return their lead to three at 7-4. Junior Marley Hanlon chipped her team’s deficit back to a pair at 7-5 prior to halftime.
Mercyhurst continued to inch closer as Hanlon swished her second strike 12 seconds into the third quarter to make it a 7-6 contest. The momentum was short-lived, however, as McKendree proceeded to score five consecutive goals to build a 12-6 margin heading into the fourth quarter.
Dunn scored her third goal in the fourth quarter to complete a hat-trick on the day and narrowing the Bearcats lead to five at 12-7. McKendree answered before senior Eva Henneman pumped in another marker for the Lakers. Green also scored her third goal of the game to join Dunn in notching a hat-trick, while the Bearcats proceeded to score two more goals to lock-up a 15-9 victory.
Information courtesy Mercyhurst University Athletics Communications
