Pictured above, Kimberly Watson, photography provided by Stan Liu

Loundonville, NY – The #14 Wagner (15-6) women's water polo team opened Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play on a high note as they defeated Siena (7-10) 18-7 and VMI (6-10) 23-7. Wagner, last season's regular and postseason MAAC Champions, controlled the pace of play in each contest as their offense was clicking on all cylinders.

Siena (Score Sheet)

The Seahawks jumped out early and never looked back from there as they began the game on an early 4-0 lead. Jess Lundgren (Queensland, Australia/ Mountain Creek), the reigning MAAC Offensive Player of the Week, tallied a hat trick within the first four team goals with fellow junior center Lily Doerfler (Annapolis, MD/ Broadneck) adding one. Siena's Clare Bryant found the back of the net with 1:23 left in the first stanza to get the Saints on the board. Freshman Elise Begg (Newbury Park, CA/ Newbuey) rattled the cage with only six seconds remaining in the first quarter to extend the Seahawks lead back to four as the score read 5-1.

Junior attacker and lefty-specialist Megan Rodriguez (Danville, CA/ San Ramon Valley) netted a quick score to begin the second quarter which was quickly nullified as Siena was awarded a 5 meter penalty shot just 11 seconds later to make it a four goal game once again with the score 6-2. The Green & White's offense caught fire, tallying four goals in the final six minutes of the first half to increase their lead to 10-2 at halftime. Freshman Kimberly Watson (Pointe-Claire, Quebec/ John Rennie) recorded two scores in the run with senior Michelle Greenough (Davis, CA/ Davis) adding one goal and Lundgren scoring her fourth of the contest.

The third period was played evenly to a 3-3 draw as the game's pace began to slow. Rodriguez, Watson and Begg all found the back of the net once again in the third.

Five goals from Wagner in the fourth with the Saints tallying three brought the final score to 18-7. The Seahawks spread out the scoring attack evenly in the final period as five different players scored including Lundgren, Doerfler, Jessica Burdge (Stockton, CA/ St. Mary's), Rachel Burns (Auckland, New Zealand/ Diocesan), and Amanda Sutherland (Denton, TX/ Denton Ryan).

Burns lead the team with four assists while Begg and Burdge added three apiece and sophomore Alexey Chandler (Sacramento, CA/ Saint Francis) contributed two helpers.

Sophomore goalie Emily Riddle (Edmonton, Alberta/ Dr. E.P. Scarlett) played the first half, surrendering only two goals and recording three saves. Freshman Anna Ward (Grayslake, IL/ Mudelein) saw action in the second half as she blocked one shot and registered an assist.

Goals
Jess Lundgren 5
Kimberly Watson 3
Elise Begg 2
Lily Doerfler 2
Megan Rodriguez 2
Jessica Burdge 1
Rachel Burns 1
Michelle Greenough 1
Amanda Sutherland 1

VMI (Score Sheet)

Offense was the name of the game once again for the Green & White in their second contest of the opening weekend of MAAC play as they posted 23 goals.

The first quarter was tight as each team proved up to the fast-paced action of the game. Wagner's Rodriguez tallied first off a man-up opportunity which was quickly answered by a Keydets score from junior Celine Lazzaro. VMI tallied quickly again off a goal from sophomore Cecilya Lundy to give the Keydets the early 2-1 lead. Wagner would score four of the next five goals to end the first quarter up 5-3 and would never relinquish the lead. Watson and Lundgren each tallied twice as Lundgren rattled the cage with only five second remaining in the first stanza.

The Seahawks offense took over in the second quarter, outscoring the Keydets 7-1 in the period. The 7-1 run put Wagner in the driver's seat as the scoring barrage would only continue. Rodriguez and Burdge each recorded a single goal in the quarter as freshman Lacey Anderson (Thousand Oaks, CA/ Westlake) also tallied her first of the day. Begg and Lundgren both found the back of the net on two separate occasions.

Wagner continued the offensive effort as it entered the scoring column six times in the third quarter. Gabryel Oloapu (Auckland, New Zealand/ Diocesan), Burns, and Sutherland each fired strikes that rocked the cage for their first scores of the game. Rodriguez and Begg ripped the net for scores on even play opportunities as Burdge struck the back of the net on a man-up chance. VMI added three goals in the period to bring the score to 18-7.

Begg, Burdge, Burns, Lundgren and Sutherland all rattled the cage in the final period as the five goals from five different Seahawks brought the final tally to 23-7.

Riddle registered seven saves and Ward recorded one block to key Wagner's defense.

Wagner has four games slatted for next weekend as they are prepared to square-off against Marist and Villanova on Saturday, March 28 with contests against Iona and St. Francis on Sunday, March 29.

Goals
Jess Lundgren 5
Elise Begg 4
Jessica Burdge 3
Megan Rodriguez 3
Rachel Burns 2
Amanda Sutherland 2
Kimberly Watson 2
Lacey Anderson 1
Gabryel Oloapu 1

History on the Horizon

*Junior Megan Rodriguez is six assists away from being the Wagner All-Time Assist Leader

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