NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y.— The No.18-ranked Harvard University women’s water polo began the 2019 season with a pair of victories over host Iona College and Villanova University. The Crimson bested the Gaels, 10-7, during the morning contest before concluding the day with another double digit 20-12 win over the Wildcats.
Facing Iona, the Crimson began the day with a 3-0 lead against the Gaels as first-year Inde Halligan scored her inaugural career goal off a post-up before senior Haley Bowe and Sofia Carrera-Justiz followed with tallies of their own. Before moving into the second period of the play, Iona’s Maeve Wydan capitalized on a five-on-six power play for the first Gaels’ scoring drive.
During the second and third periods, both teams continued a back-and-forth scoring banter, putting up a 7-6 mark going into the final eight minutes of play. Once again, the first-year Halligan found the back of the net during transition to open up the scoring drives. Despite an over-the-top two-meter goal from Iona’s Jordan Van Reeken, Harvard strung along two more goals from first-year Borden Wahl and senior Kristen Hong to ensure a Crimson victory.
During the contest with Villanova, the Crimson continued its dominating offense recording 20 goals and 11 steals. Hong tallied the first Crimson goal off a steal tabbed by sophomore Olivia Price before back-to-back goals from Bowe and Carrera-Justiz. The Wildcats scrounged up four goals to trail Harvard 6-4 at the end of the first quarter.
The offensive came alive throughout the second period of play as Harvard more than doubled its score, seeing goals from Hong, Bowe, Price, Halligan and Lana Gorlinski, to exit the half up, 13-6. Villanova created an offensive push for the remainder of play, recording six more goals, but it was not enough to cut the deficit caused the by the continuous scoring counters from the Crimson. Harvard tallied its second win of the season 20-12.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
