ERIE, Pa. — The Mercyhurst University women’s water polo team continued their season after having an off-week by dropping a 10-9 contest to host Gannon University before dominating Penn State Behrend, 16-4, on the first day of the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Erie Classic hosted by the Golden Knights at the Hallman Aquatics Center.
Facing Gannon in both teams’ opening game of the weekend, the Golden Knights got on the board scoring back-to-back goals to acquire a 2-0 lead. Junior Freya Green got on the board for the Lakers and narrowed Mercyhurst’s deficit to one.. Gannon responded 11 seconds later to push the lead back to two. With just under 10 seconds left, freshman Adriana Boltes Moragues tallied a goal and junior Marley Hanlon quickly added on another marker to knot the score at three-all going into the second quarter.
Gannon responded with just under six minutes to go in the second quarter. The Golden Knights proceeded to score a second goal to push ahead by a pair. Hanlon netted her second goal of the game to keep Mercyhurst close, but the hosts proceeded to score two more goals with under 20 seconds left to gain a 7-4 halftime margin.
Gannon inflated its lead to five by scoring goals at the six three minute marks of the third quarter. Sophomore Victoria Mastrangelo and senior Krista Domaracki delivered for the Lakers to keep Mercyhurst within three goals heading into the fourth quarter.
Freshman Bailey Dunn got on the board In the first 20 seconds of the fourth quarter to inch the Lakers within a pair at 9-7. Gannon responded with just under six minutes left to regain a three-score lead. Dunn scored again 16 seconds later to get the goal back for the Lakers. Moragues rifled home her second goal of the game with under a minute to play, but the Golden Knights held on to the lead to escape with a 10-9 win.
Mercyhurst fared better against its other Erie opponent as the Lakers sank Penn State Behrend.
In the first quarter, Green Broke the ice for Mercyhurst with under seven minutes on the clock. Dunn extended the lead to a pair before Green stroked in her second strike with less than two minutes to go to push the Lakers ahead 3-0.
In the second quarter, fifth year Alexa Corrao kept the offense rolling for Mercyhurst before Green scored her third goal of the game to complete a hat-trick and stake the Lakers to a 5-0 margin. The Lions got on the board with back-to-back goals to chip Mercyhurst’s lead down to 5-2, but Mastrangelo and Dunn spun in shots to provide Mercyhurst a 7-2 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Penn State Behrend attempted to climb back into the contest by scoring with just under seven minutes on the clock. Senior Gina Adiutori answered for Mercyhurst before Hanlon, Mastrangelo and Moragues flushed chances to help build an 11-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Freshman Kate Martin continued to offensive outburst by putting away the Lakers’ 12th tally in going ahead 12-3. Corrao got on the board with her second of the game (13-3), Penn State Behrend cut its deficit back to nine (13-4) and freshman Joey Roedl returned the lead to double-digits (14-4) before Moragues and Roedl lobbed in the Lakers’ 15th and 16th strikes in a 16-4 victory.
Information courtesy Mercyhurst University Athletics Communications
