Villanova, Pa.—The Mercyhurst Women's Water polo team traveled to Villanova Sunday, falling to Salem in an exhibition contest as well as the hosts.

Against Salem (Exhibition)

The Lakers got their first taste of the top-ranked team in the WWPA, and looked to be an even match for the Tigers throughout the first half.

After Salem started the scoring with four goals over three minutes, Sara Marin put the Lakers on the board at 2:46 in the first period. Rachel Vlietstra followed with a goal 11 seconds later on a penalty shot to make it 4-2.

Salem added a fifth goal, but Vlietstra answered with two of her own in the final 90 seconds of the first period and added another in the second to tie it up. The Tigers would add four more goals in the half, while Ava Gebhardt and Sakura Gavin each found the cage. At the half, Salem led 9-7.

In the third period, Salem would score seven unanswered goals, and added another in the final period to make the final 17-7.

Against Villanova

Villanova got in the driver's seat early, netting three goals in the first couple minutes before Hanna Good scored Mercyhurst's first goal at 5:48. The Wildcats added four more during the first period while Vlietstra and Gebhardt would add one each to put Villanova up 8-3.

The second period was closer, with the Wildcats adding three over the first five minutes and the Lakers putting two in in the final 90 seconds to cut the lead to 11-5 at the half.

Alexa Anderberg tossed in her second goal of the game to start the scoring in the third, but the Wildcats put the game away with six straight goals to finish the period and another to open the fourth. Two late goals from Gebhardt were not enough as the Lakers fell 20-8.

Up Next

The Lakers will get a breather this weekend before heading off to Philadelphia for a weekend of action hosted by La Salle March 12-13.