Joe Mattis

Gannon's five seniors went out in fashion with a down-to-the-wire 13-12 victory against No. 8 W&J.

Women's Water Polo 4/10/2016 9:41:00 PM Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Women's Water Polo Team Wins Senior Day Match Over No. 8 W&J in Dramatic Fashion (Photos)

THE RUNDOWN

Final Score: at Gannon 13, Washington & Jefferson 12
Records: Gannon (6-11), Washington & Jefferson (13-5)
Location: Erie, Pa. - Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool
The Short Story: The Gannon women's water polo team scored the last two goals during the final four minutes to rally for a 13-12 victory against Washington & Jefferson Sunday afternoon on Senior Day at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool. Senior Shanen Lazenby (Erie, Pa./McDowell) tallied the game-winner with 49 seconds left in regulation.

GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER

Box Score: Click Here
Senior Day Photo Gallery: Click Here

HOW IT HAPPENED

Washington and Jefferson jumped out to a 5-1 first-quarter lead. Junior Christine Uht (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) scored Gannon's only goal during the opening seven-minute run.
The Lady Knights got a momentum builder when sophomore Lizzie Rodriguez (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) found the back of the net with one second left on the clock, cutting the deficit to 5-2 after one stanza.
Gannon continued to ride the wave with the opening two goals of the second quarter. Lazenby and sophomore Francesca Williamson (Chicago, Ill./Mother McAuley Liberal Arts) produced the scores.
After a brief road bump with a W&J goal, Gannon countered with three consecutive scores to grab its first lead of the afternoon. Lazenby tied the contest with 3:29 left in the first half and sophomore Alison Cooney (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) pushed the Lady Knights ahead at the 2:48 mark.
The two teams split the final four goals of the half, giving Gannon a 9-8 lead at the break.
Cooney gave the Lady Knights a two-goal advantage with the first tally of the second half, but Washington & Jefferson generated the next two scores to knot the match at 10 after three frames.
The back-and-forth affair continued as Williamson opened the fourth quarter with a goal, before the Presidents regained the lead to back-to-back scores from Madison Nervig.
Cooney created the sixth tie of the contest with four minutes left.
Lazenby then provided the game-winner with 49 ticks left on the clock.

MATCH NOTES

Lazenby led both sides in scoring with four goals and two steals.
Williamson and Cooney also recorded hat tricks with Williamson finishing with four steals on defense.
Uht, Rodriguez and sophomore Liz Barr (Honolulu, Hawaii/'Iolani School) chipped in one goal each.
Senior Rachel Bednarek (Windermere, Fla./Olympia) headlined the defensive troops with five steals.
Barr added three steals to go along with her goal.
Five different Lady Knights dished out an assist.
Freshman Isabelle Vieira (Erie, Pa./Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy) started her second career match in goal, recording two saves and two steals during the first half.
Junior Emily Rodriguez (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) logged all 16 minutes of the second half between the pipes, turning away three shots and allowing only four goals.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

Sunday's contest was Gannon's final home match of the season.
Katie Batten (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy), Bednarek, Lazenby, Mariah Hudson (Milford, Ohio/Milford) and Ashley Mann (Blasdell, N.Y./Frontier Central) were honored prior to the contest as part of Senior Day festivities.
Washington & Jefferson is ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Division III national rankings.
Gannon has won three of its last four matches.
The Lady Knights completed a season sweep of W&J after posting a 13-9 victory against the Presidents at the Mercyhurst Invitational on February 21.
Gannon won its 10th consecutive match against Washington & Jefferson. The Presidents' last victory in the all-time series came April 23, 2006 at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Western Division Championships in Bloomington, Indiana.
W&J saw its 13-match win streak snapped, suffering its first loss since February 21.
Lazenby produced a season-high four goals, giving her four hat tricks this season.
Cooney and Williamson recorded their sixth and second hat tricks of the campaign, respectively.
Bednarek finished with a career-high five steals.
Williamson created at least four steals for the third time in 2016.
Barr had three steals or more in a match for the 10th time this season.

UP NEXT

Gannon concludes the regular season Saturday, April 14 at rival Mercyhurst.
The contest is scheduled for 12 noon.
Mercyhurst has won five straight matches against the Lady Knights after a 14-8 victory Saturday afternoon at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion.
Gannon's last victory in the all-time series came during the 2013 CWPA Division II Championship.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Liz Barr: Sophomore; Nursing/Pre-Med

#3 Katie Batten: Senior; Accounting

#5 Rachel Bednarek: Senior; Physical Therapy

#18 Alison Cooney: Sophomore; Psychology/Pre-Med

#17 Mariah Hudson: Senior; Sport & Exercise Science

#12 Shanen Lazenby: Senior; Undecided Science

#19 Ashley Mann: Senior; Occupational Therapy

#1 Emily Rodriguez: Junior; Sport & Exercise Science

#11 Lizzie Rodriguez: Sophomore; Secondary Education English

#10 Christine Uht: Junior; Nursing

Players Mentioned

#13 Liz Barr
: Sophomore; Nursing/Pre-Med

#3 Katie Batten
: Senior; Accounting

#5 Rachel Bednarek
: Senior; Physical Therapy

#18 Alison Cooney
: Sophomore; Psychology/Pre-Med

#17 Mariah Hudson
: Senior; Sport & Exercise Science

#12 Shanen Lazenby
: Senior; Undecided Science

#19 Ashley Mann
: Senior; Occupational Therapy

#1 Emily Rodriguez
: Junior; Sport & Exercise Science

#11 Lizzie Rodriguez
: Sophomore; Secondary Education English

#10 Christine Uht
: Junior; Nursing

Gannon University Athletics

Scoreboard

Gannon Women's Water Polo Team Wins Senior Day Match Over No. 8 W&J in Dramatic Fashion (Photos)

Players Mentioned

#13 Liz Barr

#3 Katie Batten

#5 Rachel Bednarek

#18 Alison Cooney

#17 Mariah Hudson

#12 Shanen Lazenby

#19 Ashley Mann

#1 Emily Rodriguez

#11 Lizzie Rodriguez

#10 Christine Uht

Players Mentioned

#13 Liz Barr

#3 Katie Batten

#5 Rachel Bednarek

#18 Alison Cooney

#17 Mariah Hudson

#12 Shanen Lazenby

#19 Ashley Mann

#1 Emily Rodriguez

#11 Lizzie Rodriguez

#10 Christine Uht