ST. PAUL, Minn. — Olivia Thomas (Fr., Winter Springs, Fla./Winter Springs) posted a game-high five goals as Penn State Behrend topped Utica University, 17-7, in the 2023 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championship Ninth Place game at Macalester College’s Riley Pool.
Penn State Behrend (3-19, 2-6 CWPA Division III-East) – which previously finished Fourth (2016), Fifth (2018), Seventh (2013, 2015, 2017), Eighth (2010, 2014, 2019, 2022) and Ninth (2011, 2012) at prior CWPA Division III Championships – built a 4-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back in holding 7-2 and 10-6 margins at the conclusion of the second and third quarters.
Kayla Scarpaci (Sr., Cypress, Texas/Langham Creek) (5:05), Shannon Young (Sr., Roseville, Calif./Roseville) (4:03), Olivia Wright (Jr., Fairview, Pa./Fairview) (2:13) and Nic Darrell (So., Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) (12 seconds) accounted for the Lions’ opening scoring spree.
Kelly Waryncia (Gr., Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) put Utica on the board with 5:01 remaining in the second quarter, but Emily McNaughton (Sr., Seven Fields, Pa./Pine-Richland) returned a four-goal lead to Penn State Behrend at 4:47. Neither team scored for the next three minutes until Waryncia delivered her second tally at 1:32 to again move the Pioneers within three at 5-2. However, Penn State Behrend closed the first half with back-to-back goals as Sarah Mancebo (Jr., Tulare, Calif./Mission Oak) and Wright put away shots at the 1:12 and 23 seconds marks, respectively, to stake the Lions to a 7-2 margin at intermission.
Utica (0-13, 0-8 CWPA Division III-East) climbed back into the contest with back-to-back-to-back strikes in the early moments of the third quarter as Ainsley Vyse (Fr., Glatonbury, Conn./Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy) (6:30, man-up), Amelia Laible (Fr., Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot) (4:33) and Aimee Oswald (Fr., Reading, Pa./Exeter Township) (3:52, man-up) inched the Pioneers within 7-5.
Facing the potential of Utica continuing its rally, Penn State Behrend responded as Young (3:32), Scarpaci (2:49), Darragh Martin (Fr., Green Lane, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) (2:12) put away shots to return the LIons’ lead to five at 10-5. Laible chipped a goal off the margin prior to the third quarter’s close by denting the twine at the 1:14 mark.
Penn State Behrend put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter as Young (7:37, 5:13), Marley Persch (So., Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) (5:52), McNaughton (6:31) and Mancebo (6:08, man-up) combined for five goals to expand the lead to 15-6. Laible responded for Utica at 4:04, but Darrell (2:19) and Young (two seconds) delivered the final blows to aid Penn State Behrend in capturing a 17-7 victory.
Utica – which holds prior Sixth (2014, 2015), Seventh (2012, 2013), Eighth (2011, 2016, 2017, 2018), Ninth (2010, 2019) and 10th (2022) Place finishes at the CWPA Division III Championship – received three goals from Laible, a pair by Waryncia and solo markers courtesy Vyse and Oswald. Goalkeeper Kim Serio (Jr., Lakeville, N.Y./Livonia) made six saves.
Thomas (five), Wright (three), Darrell (two), Scarpaci (two) and McNaughton (two) contributed multi-goal games for Penn State Behrend. Mancebo, Persch and Martin accounted for the remainder of the Lions’ offense in support of a five save effort by Julie de Deus (So., Pembroke Pines, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter).
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Utica University |
0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | – | 7 |
| Penn State Behrend | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | – | 17 |
| Penn State Behrend Goals: | Olivia Thomas (5); Olivia Wright (3); Nic Darrell (2); Kayla Scarpaci (2); Emily McNaughton (2); Sarah Mancebo; Marley Persch; Darragh Martin | |||||
| Utica Goals: | Amelia Laible (3); Kelly Waryncia (2); Ainsley Vyse; Aimee Oswald | |||||
| Saves: | Penn State Behrend – Julie de Deus (5); Utica – Kim Serio (6) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Penn State Behrend – 4; Utica – 5 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Penn State Behrend – 1-for-5 ; Utica – 2-for-4 | |||||
| Sprints: | Penn State Behrend – 2-for-4 (1st, 2nd) ; Utica – 2-for-4 (3rd, 4th) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | Penn State Behrend – None ; Utica – None | |||||
| Officials: | Alex Stankevitch; Tiffany Urbanski | |||||
Utica University’s Kelly Waryncia (#10) defends against Penn State Behrend’s Kayla Scarpaci (#8)
Penn State Behrend’s Kieffer Beckman (#17)
Penn State Behrend’s Marley Persch (#19) and Utica University’s Amelia Laible (#18)
