ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University women's water polo team enters the 2015 campaign with a dozen of its 17-member roster in either their freshman or sophomore seasons. However, much needed firepower and depth has been added in the hopes of an exciting season.
Head coach
Curtis Robinette enters his 13th season as the head coach of the Lakers and has guided the women's water polo team to double-digit victories in nine of his first 12 seasons. In addition to a number of new and youthful faces in the pool, Robinette added a new graduate assistant coach to this year's squad.
Former Arizona State and Junior Pan-Am Games standout
Shannon Haas joins the staff in 2015 and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the young Laker team. A 2014 graduate of Arizona State with a degree in child development, Haas wrapped up her four-year career as one of the best players in Sun Devils' history.
"Her knowledge and experience as one of the best centers in the country will help this young Laker team prepare for the season," said Robinette. "Her contributions have made an immediate impact this fall and has set the ground work for a successful season."
In the pool, the Lakers will look upon several key returners to build off of strong 2014 seasons. Juniors
Meagan Marques,
Aleeyse Utech, and
Annie Blackman are the elder statesmen of the players up front. Marques was second on the team in goals last season with 27, while Utech (40 points) and Blackman (34 points) also had strong 2014 campaigns.
Sophomores Jenna Clinch and
Becky Insalaco should add offensive punch after fine rookie seasons a year ago. Clinch led the Lakers with 26 assists and was second with 47 total points while Insalaco posted 40 points (23 goals, 17 assists) and added a team-high 38 drawn ejections.
In goal, junior
Jesse Sworden and sophomore
Rachel Stock return. Sworden allowed 7.25 goals per game last season while posting over eight saves per contest. She also chipped in 37 steals, which was third-highest on the team. Stock, meanwhile, appeared in 14 games and allowed 5.1 goals per contest.
Sworden may step out of goal and into her new role as defensive specialist. She would join the lone senior on this year's team,
Ali Iaquinto, sophomore
Amanda Wolterink, and freshman
Carly Romano.
Robinette added seven newcomers, including the aforementioned Romano, to the mix this season and all are expected to make significant contributions. Vickey Arciniega,
Katie Appell,
Erin Glass, and
Cristal Maldonado should pay immediate dividends on the offensive side of the pool, while utility players
Nicki Borella and
Kennedy Watson will help on both ends.
Hannah Lau will be asked to push the counter.
The Lakers will begin the season on February 21 and 22 at Villanova University to compete against four Division I schools from the MAAC – Siena, Iona, St. Francis, and Villanova. Mercyhurst will then open conference play at Bucknell University on February 28 and March 1 against Harvard and Brown. In March, the Lakers will make the trip to Oneonta, N.Y., to participate in the Hartwick Invitational before regional play with Notre Dame College and crosstown rival Gannon.
Mercyhurst will welcome Division I conference foes Hartwick and Bucknell on April 11 and 12 at the North East Aquatic Center. CWPA conference games continue in Bloomington, Indiana, the following weekend to close out the regular season.The CWPA Championships takes place April 24-26 at Princeton University.
