Princeton University-vs.-Saint Francis University Scoresheet
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Lindsey Kelleher (Sr., South Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic) scored four times to claim Player of the Game honors as No. 15-ranked Princeton University opened the 2019 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship with a 12-3 defeat of Saint Francis University at Brown University’s Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center.
Princeton (20-8) picks up its 20th win of the season and advances to a 1:00 p.m. semifinal game on Saturday, April 27, against the victor of a first round game pitting No. 21 Bucknell University against George Washington University.
The Tigers never trailed versus the Red Flash (9-25) as Princeton raced out to leads of 2-0 and 5-0 by the conclusion of the first and second quarters, respectively, to hold Saint Francis in check throughout the first half of competition.
Maddie Pendolino (So., Burlingame, Calif./Sacred Heart Prep) opened the scoring for Princeton as she deposited an even-strength strike with 4:06 left in the opening frame to put the Tigers ahead to stay. Annie Robinson (Fr., Riverside, Conn./Greenwich) padded the margin to a pair prior to the concluding horn of the first quarter as she cashed in on a man-up bid with 3:22 on the clock to make it 2-0.
Princeton punched in a trio of tallies by Kelleher in the second quarter as she notched power-play (7:14) and even-strength (6:11, 2:53) markers to make it 5-0 after 16 minutes of action.
The second half started with more of the same for Princeton as Kelleher punched in her fourth consecutive point 59 seconds (7:01) into the third quarter to make it 6-0. Robinson (6:32) and Laura Larkin (Fr., Solana Beach, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) (4:59) ticked off back-to-back goals to make it 8-0 before Saint Francis’ Gabby Garritson (So., Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) broke up a shutout bid by Princeton goalie Marissa Webb (So., Danville, Calif./San Ramon) by lining in a shot with 2:50 on the clock.
However, Sarah Lawson (So., Newport Beach, Calif./Corona del Mar) and Robinson capped off the third quarter for the Tigers by stroking in natural markers at 1:35 and 14 seconds, respectively, to make it 10-1 heading into the final eight minutes of competition.
Kailie McGeoy (So., Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara) expanded the spread to 11-1 by uncorking a man-up blast at 6:43 prior to Kaitlyn Nguyen (Sr., Annandale, Va./Bishop Ireton) and Julia Bradford (Fr., Edinboro, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) answering for the Red Flash at 6:15 and 4:11, respectively, to move Saint Francis within 11-3.
McGeoy closed out the scoring by flushing a shot at 3:51 for the 12-3 final as the Tigers are guaranteed to finish no lower than Fourth in the final championship standings by earning a spot in the semifinals.
For Princeton, Kelleher (four), Robinson (three) and McGeoy (two) all posted multi-goal games, while Lawson, Pendolino and Larkin each chipped in solo strikes. Webb earned the win with five saves and two goals allowed in 27 minutes, while Isabel Zaller (Fr., Coronado, Calif./Coronado) closed out the contest with one save and one goal allowed in the waning moments of the contest.
Garritson, Nguyen and Bradford all scored for Saint Francis with goalie Kate Wilke (Jr., Burbank, Calif./Burroughs) stopping eight shots in taking the loss.
The defeat drops Saint Francis into the consolation side of the seven-team championship field as the Red Flash will face the fallen from the GW-Bucknell first round game at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, before squaring off against the defeated from a first round game between No. 16 Harvard University-vs.-Brown University at 4:00 p.m. The results of the games – combined with a contest pitting the GW-Bucknell and Harvard-Brown losers – will determine places Fifth-to-Seventh in the final tournament standings.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 15 Princeton University | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | – | 12 |
| Saint Francis University | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | – | 3 |
| Princeton Goals: | Lindsey Kelleher (4); Annie Robinson (3); Kailie McGeoy (2); Sarah Lawson; Maddie Pendolino; Laura Larkin | |||||
| Saint Francis Goals: | Gabby Garritson; Kaitlyn Nguyen; Julia Bradford | |||||
| Saves: | Princeton – Marissa Webb (5, 27:00), Isabel Zaller (1, 5 minutes) ; Saint Francis – Kate Wilke (8) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Princeton – 11 ; Saint Francis – 6 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Princeton – 3-for-6 ; Saint Francis – 0-for-11 | |||||
| Sprints: | Princeton – 2-for-4 (1st, 2nd) ; Saint Francis – 2-for-4 (3rd, 4th) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Alex Stankevitch; Michael Schofield | |||||
Princeton University’s Amy Castellano (#12) wins the opening sprint versus Saint Francis University’s Erin O’Neill (#13)
Princeton University’s Maddy Damato (#11)
Saint Francis University head coach Jay O’Neil talks to his team during a timeout
Princeton University’s Amy Castellano (#12)
