Princeton, NJ – The #19(T) Wagner (6-6) women's water polo team defeated #25(T) Bucknell (1-4) 14-6 in the squads opening contest then dropped a 7-6 defensive battle to #15 Harvard (7-1) at the Princeton Invite on February 13.

Bucknell 14-6 (Score Sheet)

The Seahawks received contributions from everyone on the roster with tri-captain seniors Lily Doerfler (Annapolis, MD), Jess Lundgren (Queensland, Australia) and Megan Rodriguez (Danville, CA/ San Ramon Valley) leading the offensive charge. Each senior tallied at least five points in the contest as Doerfler struck the back of the net five times, Lundgren scored five goals while passing out three assists and Rodrigues tossed in three goals while adding three helpers.

The Green & White offense was firing on all cylinders and early in the game as Wagner opened on a 3-0 run to start the contest. Doerfler fired home a strike after battling for position off a pass from Lundgren to open the scoring for the Seahawks. After quick ball movement Rodriguez capitalized the scoring opportunity and Lundgren rattled the cage less than a minute later to give the Green & White the 3-0 lead.  Bucknell entered the scoring column before freshman Erica Hardy (Montreal, Quebec/ St. Thomas) would find Doerfler for her second goal of the game and the teams fourth. The Seahawks entered the second quarter leading 4-1.

It was much of the same for the second and third quarters with the Seahawks tallying seven scores within the two periods to the Bison's two.  Doerfler hit home on two more scores in the second quarter each off assists from sophomore attacker Lacey Anderson (Thousand Oaks, CA/ Westlake). Lundgren ripped home a goal off a slick pass from Rodriguez with the Seahawks entering halftime holding onto a 7-2 lead.

Bucknell opened the third quarter with a score off a five-meter penalty shot but the Seahawks quickly responded with Rodriguez firing home a goal off a set-up from sophomore Kimberly Watson (Pointe-Claire, Quebec, John Rennie). Lundgren would than finished a counter opportunity and added another goal off an assist from Watson. Doerfler found the back of the net once again for her fifth score of the contest to bring the Seahawks lead to 11-3 at the end of the third quarter.

The Bison and Seahawks would play to a 3-3 tie in the final period with Lundgren adding her fifth goal of the game and Rodriguez firing home her third for the hat trick.  Freshman Sarah Limanni (Mohnton, PA/ Governor Miffin) set-up junior Amanda Sutherland (Denton, TX/ Denton Ryan) to bring the final score the 14-6 in favor of the Seahawks.

Each goalie saw action in the game as junior Emily Riddle (Edmonton, Alberta/ Dr. E.P. Scarlett) recorded four saves and sophomore Anna Ward (Grayslake, IL/ Mundelein) registered one block.

Harvard 7-6 (Score Sheet)

Wagner and Harvard battled from the opening sprint to the last whistle as neither team led by more than one goal at any point in the contest.

The first goal of the game wouldn't be scored until the 3:37 mark in the first quarter when Rodriguez struck home on a feed from Lundgren to put the Seahawks up 1-0 early. Harvard would ring the bell twice in the period as would the Seahawks when Hardy rattled the cage off an assist from Rodriguez.

The Green & White and Crimson entered the second quarter deadlocked at 2-2. Watson connected off a pass from Rodriguez early in the period however Harvard would counter to tie the game at three apiece. Wagner's reigning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Offensive Player of the Year, Jess Lundgren would tally with 1:25 left in the half to give the Seahawks a one goal advantage.

Harvard would outscore Wagner 4-2 in the third quarter with sophomore Elise Begg (Newbury Park, CA/ Newbury) and Hardy tallying for the Green & White.

The Seahawks entered the fourth and final frame trailing Harvard 7-6. Rodriguez came up with a field block in final quarter to help the Seahawks kill a man-up opportunity for the Crimson while Riddle made an impressive save on a Harvard fast break chance to maintain in striking distance. Harvard's defensive held strong as the Seahawks couldn't score the game tying goal and fell by the count of 7-6.

The Green & White are back in action tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. against Cal Lutheran.

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