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LA JOLLA, Calif. — No. 19-ranked Hartwick College scored four unanswered goals to start the fourth quarter to break open a one-score game and help the Hawks pull away in a 13-10 victory over No. 18 University of California-San Diego at Canyonview Aquatic Center. The Hawks improve to 15-7 on the year with the win.

Hartwick opened the scoring 2:03 into the contest as L.J. Edwards (Encinitas, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) scored off a feed from Zsofia Polak (Dunaujvaros, Hungary/Rudas). The Tritons countered 1:25 later to even the score.

Lena Kotanchyan (Moscow, Russia/Elk Island School #368) finished off a penalty shot to put the Hawks in front again. Charlotte Cottle (Blakehurst, Australia/Presbyterian Ladies College) then set up Kotanchyan for her second 34 seconds later to increase the advantage to 3-1.

UCSD got one back on the power-play but Tori Wilson (Kitchener, Ontario/Grand River Collegiate Institute) answered from Katie McKenty (Auckland, New Zealand/Takapuna Grammar School) for a 4-2 Hartwick edge at the end of the opening quarter.

The two teams traded goals in the second with Wilson scoring on the extra-man advantage for a 5-3 lead. Lauren Boyer then scored a pair in 39 seconds for the Tritons as they tied the score at five-all. Polak tallied less than a minute later for ‘Wick only to have Boyer tie things up again 16 seconds later. Wilson finished off the first-half scoring with her third of the game with 16 seconds remaining for a 7-6 lead. Maria Moya (Madrid, Spain/Ortega Y Gasset) assisted on the play.

UCSD scored quickly in the third quarter, but Lauren Brennan (Canberra, Australia/St. Clares College) and Polak registered back-to-back goals to make it a 9-7 game. The Tritons inched closer with under two minutes to go and the Hawks took a 9-8 advantage into the final quarter.

Polak opened the fourth quarter with a goal and a long pass from goalkeeper Josette Santos (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison) allowed Kotanchyan her third tally of the game as the Hawks increased their lead to three goals, 11-8. Brennan added a second goal at the 5:03 mark and she set up Polak for her fourth tally of the game.

Boyer stopped the bleeding for the Tritons with just over three minutes to play with her game-high fifth goal of the match. UCSD added a power-play goal at 1:49 but that would close out the scoring as the Hawks came away with the 13-10 victory.

Polak led the Hawks with four goals with Kotanchyan and Wilson each scoring three. Brennan added a pair as the quartet accounted for 12 of Hartwick’s 13 goals. Santos finished with nine stops in cage.

With the win, Hartwick improves to 7-7 against the Tritons all-time.

Release courtesy Hartwick College Athletics Communications

Collegiate Water Polo Association