ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Gannon women's water polo team rallied from a 9-6 deficit in the fourth quarter but was unable to complete the comeback before dropping a 10-9 overtime decision against Connecticut College in the ninth-place match of the 2013 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Eastern Championship hosted by the University of Michigan Sunday morning.
Connecticut opened a 2-1 lead after one quarter. The Camels extended their advantage to 4-3 after two quarters and 9-6 after three frames.
Gannon began its rally early in the fourth quarter.
Katelyn Jacobs (Brookfield, Ill./Lyons Township) scored 1:15 into the final stanza to cut the deficit to 9-7.
Shanen Lazenby (Erie, Pa./McDowell) added another 1:45 later to pull within 9-8. Jacobs then struck again, producing the tying goal with three minutes to play.
The defensive units took control for the remainder of regulation, forcing Gannon's first overtime affair of the season. Connecticut tallied the only score of the extra sessions, pounding a ball into the net with 40 seconds left in the first overtime to account for the game-winner.
Jacobs led Gannon in scoring with five goals. Lazenby finished with a pair of scores.
Janelle McDaniels (Edwardsville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) and
Bailey Gadd (Golden, Colo./Lakewood) chipped in one goal each.
Janelle Bartman (Darien, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) recorded nine saves in front of the net.
Gannon's 10th-place ending represented the program's highest finish ever at the CWPA Eastern Championship. The Lady Knights, ranked ninth in the latest CWPA Division I/II Poll, concluded their season with a 13-16 overall record.
NOTE: The CWPA Eastern Championship is water polo's equivalent to an NCAA regional tournament in other sports, but includes Division I and II programs. This weekend's champion will move into the NCAA Elite Eight.
Gannon Women's Water Polo Box Score