Princeton, NJ – The Wagner water polo team earned a pair victories over Ivy League foes on the first day of the Princeton Invitational on Satuday, as the Seahawls defeated Harvard 12-9 in an afternoon match before posting a 16-8 win over Brown to improve their season record to 3-1.
Wagner vs Harvard (Box)The Seahawks controlled the majority of play vs Harvard in claiming victory by a score of 12-9. The game began with tight back and forth play as the first quarter drew even at 2-2. Lefty junior attacker
Megan Rodriguez (Danville, CA/ San Ramon Valley) notched the first goal of the contest for the Green & White. Fellow junior center
Jess Lundgren (Queensland, Australia/ Mountain Creek) also
tallied a goal in the quarter, her first game since being
named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Offensive Player of the Week on January 28.
Wagner gained momentum in the second quarter as they outscored the Crimson five to one in the interval. Junior center
Lily Doerfler (Annapolis, MD/Broadneck) made the most of her opportunities as she netted three goals in the stanza alone. Rodriguez and Lundgren each added another goal as the Seahawks took a 7-3 lead into the half.
Freshman
Elise Begg (Newbury Park, CA/ Newbury) resgistered her first collegiate goal in the third quarter, with senior co-captain
Jessica Burdge (Stockton, CA/ St. Mary's) and Lundgren, the reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, adding a tally apiece as the Seahawks led 10-6 with only the final period remaining.
The Crimson clawed back; however, the comeback was halted as Lundgren netted two goals, bringing her game goal count to five and sealing the 12-9 victory for the Seahawks.
Wagner vs Brown (Box)The Seahawk offense shined in the second contest of the day as the Seahawks posted a season high of 16 goals as they defeated a second Ivy League opponent in Brown.
Doefler's dominance on the day continued as she netted three goals in the first quarter on counter attacks. Lundgren entered the scoring column for the first time in the contest, while senior
Michelle Greenough (Davis, CA/ Davis) scored her first goal of the season. The Green & White held a 5-3 advantage over the Bears at halftime.
The Seahawks stretched the lead to three goals following tallies from Rofriguez, Lundgren, senior co-captain
Rachel Burns (Auckland, New Zealand/ Diocesan), and freshman
Kimberly Watson (Pointe-Claire, Quebec/ John Rennie). Wagner held a 9-6 lead at the end of the first half and began to control possession and the play.
Two goals from Australian native Lundgren, as well as scores from Rodriguez and Watson in the third installment, extended the Seahawk lead to seven as the defense stepped up, holding the Bears scoreless in the quarter.
The 13-6 lead would eventually become a 16-8 final after goals were exchanged from each squad, with scores from Lundgren plus Watson, before freshman
Lacey Anderson (Thousand Oaks, CA/ Westlake) broke the even scroing for the quarter as she collected the third in the period for the Seahawks.
The Green & White will compete against Club Aquatique Water Polo Montreal in an exhibition game tomorow at 2:00 PM on the final day of the Princeton Invitational.
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