THE RUNDOWN
Final Scores: Mercyhurst 9, Gannon 6 | St. Francis 8, Gannon 6
Records: Gannon (2-10, 0-3 WWPA) | MU (4-5, 1-2 WWPA) | SFU (8-8)
Location: Hallman Aquatics Center | Erie, Pa.
The Short Story: The Gannon women's water polo team turned in a pair of solid defensive efforts Saturday, holding two opponents to just a combined 17 goals, but fell in tight contests to Mercyhurst and St. Francis.
GAMEDAY MEDIA CENTER
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Gannon tied things up late in the first quarter on a Libby Tirak (Erie, Pa./Villia Maria) goal against the Lakers, and drew even again at 2-2 on a score from Mary Trese Squeglia (Erie, Pa./). Finishes from Campbell Ruh (Walnut, Calif./Lutheran High School of Orange County) and Nicole Wiemken (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon) late in the first half gave the Golden Knights a 4-3 advantage at the break.
- Mercyhurst opened up the scoring in the third with three straight goals to retake the lead. Tirak and Ruh each turned in their second finishes of the day — Ruh's coming with seven minutes left to make it 8-6 — but the offenses slowed down from there, with just a late Mercyhurst goal as the Lakers held on.
- A physical game against St. Francis saw little scoring early. Ruh followed up the Red Flash's opening score with one of her own to keep it 1-1 after eight minutes. Julia Kreidinger (Erie, Pa./Villia Maria) found the back of the net early in the second, and Squeglia's goal with under a minute to go in the half made it 3-3, but St. Francis converted on the next possession to hold a slim lead at halftime.
- Neither team could get past the defense in the third quarter, setting up a flurry of a finish in the fourth. Wiemken tied it up less than a minute in, but two St. Francis goals in less than 30 seconds gave the Flash the advantage. Katie Baker (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Tirak netted their own quick finishes just over a minute later to draw even at 6-6, but St. Francis closed with the final two goals to keep the Knights just out of reach.
GAME NOTES
- Ruh and Tirak each netted two goals against Mercyhurst, with Ruh also adding two assists and Tirak leading the team with two earned kickouts.
- Six different Knights found the back of the net against St. Francis, with Wiemken going for a goal, three assists and two steals.
- Kreidinger posted nine steals on the day to go with a goal and three assists.
- Sydney Klakeg (Santa Barbara, Calif./Choate Rosemary Hall) stopped 10 shots in goal against St. Francis, also adding four steals.
UP NEXT
- Gannon wraps up its condensed regular season next weekend, heading back to the Hallman Aquatic Center for three games.
- The Golden Knights will face McKendree and Salem on Saturday, and return Sunday for a rematch with Mercyhurst to conclude the WWPA weekend.