LORETTO, Pa. — Freshman Oliva Price erupted with five goals and sophomore Mathilde Ribordy accounted for seven points (four goals, three assists) to lift the No. 22-ranked Harvard University women’s water polo team past George Washington University, 14-8, at Saint Francis University in both teams’ final game at the Red Flash Tournament.
Overall, Price (five goals, two assists) and Ribordy each posted a team-leading seven points, while Angie Varona, Jilly Cronin and Sofia Carrera-Justiz each contributed pairs of steals. Carrera-Justiz scored twice for her third multiple-goal game at the Red Flash Tournament, with Sami Strutner also netted a pair of goals for the second time over the weekend.
Goalies Cleo Harrington and Sam Acker shared time in net. Harrington made four stops, while Acker posted three saves and added two assists.
The Colonials appeared poised to upset the Crimson by striking twice in the opening 90-seconds. However, the Crimson settled in when Kristen Hong put a point on the board with 5:14 remaining in the opening quarter. Less than two minutes later Harvard led, 4-2, after Ribordy scored twice and Price netted her first of the day. GWU closed out the high-action first quarter by evening the score at four-all.
Hong found Price for the go-ahead goal 37 seconds into the second quarter and Harvard never looked back.
Strutner tallied her first goal of the day and Carrera-Justiz scored the first of two second-quarter goals, before George Washington responded.
Harvard led at the half, 8-6, and Price, Strutner and Ribordy continued to find the back of the net in the third and fourth quarters to build upon the lead as the Crimson defense limited the Colonials to just two scores in the second half.
Release courtesy Harvard University Athletics Communications
