CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The No. 17-ranked Harvard University women’s water polo team won both of its season opening matches at the Harvard Mini. The Crimson handed Villanova University its first loss of the season by claiming a 21-5 victory before going on to down the Iona College Gaels, 10-4.
Sophomore Borden Wahl led all scorers on the day, tallying five goals while also netting three assists and two steals. Right behind her were juniors Quinne Pursell, Olivia Price and senior Lana Gorlinski, who each found the back of the net four times during the two matches. Sophomore Evan Tingler led the team in assists with six. In goal, sophomore Zoe Banks and first-year Alexis Kieckhafer split time in net evenly in both matches, each playing one half. Banks recorded 10 saves and Kieckhafer had six saves, two assists and one steal.
In the morning matchup against Villanova, Banks shutout the Wildcats in the first quarter, allowing for the Crimson to go on a 7-0 run. Harvard continued its dominance into the second quarter, scoring the first two goals to increase its lead to 9-0. Villanova would answer with two goals of its own, but the Crimson again pulled away scoring four-straight for a 13-2 lead entering halftime. Harvard conceded three more goals to the Wildcats during the third and fourth quarters to bring the match to an eventual 21-5 conclusion.
Gorlinski tallied a career-high four goals and Tingler tabbed a career-high five assists against Villanova.
The Crimson continued their dominance against Iona by going on a 4-0 run at the start of the match. Harvard went on a four-goal run in the second quarter to take an eventual 8-2 lead into halftime. Iona answered Harvard’s two goals in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter by netting two goals of its own with time expiring, but the Crimson would hold on for the 10-4 victory.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
