Box Score Lebanon, Ill. - Mercyhurst women's water polo ended their weekend on the wrong side of the ledger in a close, one-goal game against the weekend host Bearcats. The Lakers were able to hang with the opposition all game long but could never quite get over the hump and grab the win in the 11-10 final.
How it Happened
Mercyhurst's offense put together a solid start with a trio of goals in the opening frame. It was not any one Laker doing all the damage for the team with Rachel Vlietstra, Marley Hanlon, and Freya Green each denting the twine in the opening eight minutes of the contest. Their work was not quite enough to grab a lead, though, with McKendree scoring four time with three of those coming courtesy of Joey Robello to give the Bearcats a 4-3 lead at the end of the first.
The Lakers ended up matching McKendree's effort in the second period with each scoring twice in the frame with the Bearcats able to retain their one-goal lead. For Mercyhurst, it was Marley Hanlon who did the damage in the second stanza with the freshman scoring twice to help give her three for the game midway through the contest.
It was Vlietstra who did the heavy lifting coming out of the halftime break for the Lakers as she scored twice for the only two goals of the quarter for Mercyhurst. Her effort was enough to help keep the team within striking distance as the Bearcats stayed out in front with three goals in the frame to make it a 9-7 game going into the final period of play. The final quarter was the first time Mercyhurst managed to outscore their counterpart, but unfortunately it was only by one with Alexa Corrao putting two in the back of the net while Sakura Gavin scored once with the Lakers just falling short in the 11-10 finale.
Highlights
Mercyhurst ended with three players scoring multiple goals with Rachel Vlietstra and Marley Hanlon tying for the team lead as they both scored three times. They were followed by Corrao who got going late with two goals in the fourth to round out the group.
Next Game
Mercyhurst gets a little time off before they get back in the water as they do not compete again until the WWPA Erie Classic on the 6th and 7th of April. That event will take place at the Hallman Aquatics Center with Mercyhurst taking on Gannon in the first game on the 6th at 12:00 p.m. before seeing Salem the same day at 3:00 p.m. They then close things out on the 7th with an early morning matchup with McKendree at 8:30 a.m.
