Women's Water Polo 4/14/24

#18 Women's Water Polo Concludes Regular Season As Undefeated Conference Champions

Philadelphia, PA - The Wagner College women's water polo team completed its 2024 campaign at La Salle in a two-day tournament that saw the Seahawks take home three wins, as well as the regular season Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) champion title.

The Wagner Seahawks concluded their 2024 regular season with an overall record of 27-4, with a conference record of 13-0. The Green & White would also record a 2-0 at the Spiro Sports Center, a 6-2 record when playing a team at their own pool, and a 19-2 record at neutral sites.

Game One Results: #18 Wagner 22 - VMI 11

Wagner began the weekend with a balanced scoring attack against the Keydets. The Seahawks would score seven goals by seven different players to hold a 7-1 lead after one quarter. Junior Carlota Alonso, graduate student Pip Nash, senior Andrea Arias, sophomore Magali Ogg, junior Casey Taylor, freshman Ana Arias, and freshman Catherine Mentz were responsible for the Green & Whites opening quarter points.

After a scoreless second quarter, the Seahawks found the back of the next three times in the third quarter. Magali Ogg scored the first goal of the second half for Wagner, as sophomore Genevieve Bland and junior Martina Parisi joined the Sydney, Australian native in the scoring column. In the final frame, the Green & White would explode with a season-best 12 goals to close out the conference win against VMI. In the fourth, All-MAAC Preseason Team members Andrea Arias and Carlota Alonso both scored three goals. Senior Grace Coleman added her 17th and 18th goals of the season in the fourth. Nash, Ogg, Parisi, and senior Mar Navarro would add the remaining points for the Seahawks, as they would prevail over the Keydets, 22-11.

Game Two Results: #18 Wagner 14 - La Salle 9

The Seahawks and the Explorers traded goals throughout the opening quarter, as Wagner held a 5-4 advantage after one. Navarro and Andrea Arias both found the back of the net twice, as Carlota Alonso added her 100th goal of the 2024 campaign less than four minutes into the contest. In the second quarter, the Seahawks would score another five goals and head into halftime with a 10-7 lead. In the second, Arias and Alonso both scored twice, as freshman Maylen Sampedro Tarela scored her first of the tournament, and her 13th of the season.

Carlota Alonso scored her fourth and final goal of the game during the third quarter, representing the lone goal scored for the Seahawks. In the final frame, Wagner would hold La Salle scoreless while adding three goals themselves. In the fourth, Andrea Arias would score goal number five and six, while Sampedro Tarela would add the final blow to the Explorers, as the Seahawks would prevail, 14-9.

Game Three Results: #18 Wagner 19 - Villanova 10

Wagner would score seven goals in the first quarter for the second time in three games, to lead 7-4 over the Wildcats. Six Seahawks would score in the opening frame as Andrea Arias tallied two, as Coleman, Ogg, Parisi, Alonso, and Navarro all added their own goal. In the second quarter, junior Lizzy Koerper scored her first goal of the weekend, and her 15th of the season. Navarro, Sampedro Tarela, and Andrea Arias would also score goals in the period, as Arias would add two. At halftime, Wagner held a 12-6 lead.

In the third, Andrea Arias scored two goals for the fourth consecutive quarter. Catherine Mentz would tally her first goal of the contest, and her 10th of the season. In the final quarter of the season, Parisi would put away three goals within eight minutes. Captain Casey Taylor scored her first of the game as well. The Seahawks would prevail over the Wildcats, 19-10.

Sophomore Francesca Sena spent 87:30 minutes in net for the Green & White across three games. The Cosenza, Italy native earned three wins to bring her overall season record to 24-4. Sena denied 17 shots while adding two steals and one assist to her weekend totals.

Freshman Jillian Hemming would spend 8:30 in goal for the Seahawks during the second half against VMI.

Additionally, Navarro added nine assists and seven steals to her stat-line across her three games played. Parisi added four assists and Koerper tallied four steals against VMI. Coleman dished out three assists and added two field blocks against La Salle.

Next up, the Seahawks will participate in MAAC Championships in Poughkeepsie from Saturday, April 26 to Sunday, April 27 at the McCann Natatorium. Wagner will seek its eighth MAAC title in the last 11 years at the MAAC Tournament.