GROVE CITY, Pa. — The Penn State Behrend women’s water polo team fell to Mount St. Mary’s University, 16-5, and Wittenberg University, 15-11, on the final day of the 2023 Grove City Invitational at Grove City College.
In the Lions’ opening contest of the day, Sierra Thurman led the Mount with five goals, including two in the opening quarter for a 3-0 lead.
Five different players scored for the Lions as Behrend scattered its scoring across the second and third quarters
Mt. St. Mary’s registered a quarter-high six goals in the fourth to expand the final margin of victory.
Nic Darrell (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) recorded five steals, two assists, two drawn kickouts and one goal, while Shannon Young (Roseville, Calif./Roseville), Susie Carrillo (Fresno, Calif./Clovis North Educational Center), Olivia Wright (Fairview, Pa./Fairview) and Darragh Martin (Green Lane, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) also tallied solo goals for the Lions.
Julie de Deus (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Pembroke Pines Charter) made three saves in taking the loss between the pipes.
Facing fellow Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III institution Wittenberg in a non-conference showdown, a pair of goals from Marley Persch (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) and Young along with a solo strike by Darrell gave Behrend a 5-3 lead after the first eight minutes
Wittenberg answered with five goals in the second quarter to take an 8-7 advantage into halftime.
The Lions managed to outscore the Tigers in the third quarter, 4-3, to make it 11-all with one quarter left. Young added another goal to complete a hat-trick, while Wright, Carrillo and Martin each scored to fuel the Lions’ comeback.
However, Wittenberg registered four goals in the fourth and clamped down on defense for a four-score win
On defense, de Deus added five saves for a total of eight on the day. Darrell chipped in five steals, two assists and two drawn kickouts in the setback.
Release courtesy Penn State Behrend Athletics Communications
