Women’s Water Polo Falls to No. 2 UCLA Before Rallying to Defeat No. 13 Hartwick

Pictured Above: junior Erica Hardy (Credit: Ricky Bassman)

Ann Arbor, MI – The No. 20-ranked and four-time defending Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champion Wagner women's water polo team trailed by just a 7-4 score at halftime against the No. 2-ranked UCLA Bruins before the Bruins pulled away for a 14-7 count in game one while the Seahawks rallied for a 16-14 win over No. 13 Hartwick in the nightcap on the final day of the Michigan Invitational on Sunday.

Following today's split, which came on the heels of a pair of competitive losses to Top-10 ranked foes Michigan and Pacific, the Seahawks are 1-3 on the young season.

UCLA 14, Wagner 7
In today's opening game, UCLA got on the board first before Seahawk senior captain Kimberly Watson answered, netting her first off score of the day off a dish from junior Erica Hardy, which evened the score at 1-1. The Bruins then closed the opening quarter with two straight goals in taking a 3-1 lead.

The Bruins then made it a 5-0 run by scoring three unanswered goals to begin the second quarter to make it a 6-1 game, before freshman Kristy Donkin cashed in back-to-back goals to cut the Bruin lead to three, at 6-3. UCLA's Devin Grab then capitalized on a power-play opportunity, before Watson answered once again, converting off a pass from fellow senior captain Elise Begg, to make the score 7-4 at the conclusion of the first half.

UCLA blanked Wagner 4-0 in the third quarter in extending the Bruin lead to 11-4 entering the fourth and final period of the game.

All three Wagner captains, Watson, Begg, and senior Lacey Anderson, sank fourth-quarter goals while UCLA found the net three times in fashioning the final score at 14-7.

Watson led the squad with her third hat trick of the season, while Donkin contributed two goals, with Begg and Anderson netted one score.

Wagner 16, Hartwick 14
After a tough loss to the No.2-ranked team in the country, the Green & White capped their impressive opening weekend by breaking open a 10-10 halftime tie with a 5-2 third-quarter run en route to a 16-14 victory No. 13 Hartwick.

Six Seahawks contributed goals in the win over the Hawks. Watson led the way offensively, pouring in a season-high five goals. She has now recorded three goals or more in in all four contests thus far in her senior campaign.

Hardy and Anderson also recorded hat tricks for Wagner, while freshman Daisy Nankervis found the back of the net twice. Sophomores Jacqui Sjogren and Franciska Milo-Sidlo rounded out the Seahawk scoring by tallying one goal apiece.

On the defensive end, freshman goalie Katherine Campell held tough in the cage, recording eight saves and one steal.

Wagner is next in action at the Brown Invite, held in Providence, RI on February 3-4, where the Seahawks will meet McKendree University, No. 12 San Diego State and Bucknell.

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