Scoreboard

Jeff Kirik

Women's Water Polo 4/1/2023 7:37:00 PM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Golden Knights Wrap Up First Day of Action in WWPA Conference Weekend

ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon women's water polo team will look for a first conference victory when they return to the Hallman Aquatics Center pool on Sunday. The Golden Knights saw a two-game winning streak snapped on Saturday as they opened the WWPA Conference Weekend with a 12-8 loss to Mercyhurst followed by a 13-7 setback to McKendree.

The Golden Knights, now 5-13 overall, will face Salem at 11:00 a.m. Prior to the match head coach Shane Unger will honor his 2023 senior class.

Game 1 – Mercyhurst 12, Gannon 8
Gannon saw its two-game winning streak snapped as Mercyhurst grabbed the lead in the second quarter and was able to answer every Gannon challenge. The Golden Knights led 4-3 after one quarter as Josie Frisina (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) and Jade Strickland (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) scored twice and each had an assist. The Lakers took the lead with three straight goals in the second period. They would hold Gannon to just one goal in the period, that by Sydney McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell), to take a 7-5 lead at the half. Kate Baker (Erie, Pa./McDowell) scored off a feed from Frisina to score on the power play at 5:17 and cut the deficit to 7-6. The Golden Knights still trailed by just a goal at 8-7 after three periods. Gannon would only find the back of the goal once in the final period, with Strickland doing the honors on a power play goal with 5:37 remaining. That made the score 9-8 but Mercyhurst would score three times in the final four minutes. Gannon finished with a slight 20-18 advantage in shots. Strickland paced the Golden Knights with three goals and an assist while Frisina had two goals and three assists.

Gannon Scoring: Jade Strickland (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) 3 goals-1 assist; Josei Frisina 2 goals-3 assists; Sydney McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 2 goals; Kate Baker (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 1 goal-1 assist; Ellie Velasco (Riverside, Calif./Arlington) 1 assist; Molly Fehr (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) 1 assist; Hanna Kownacki 1 assist
Gannon Saves: Sydney Klakeg (Santa Barbara, Calif./Choate Rosemary Hall) 32 minutes-4 saves-12 goals.

Game 2 – McKendree 13, Gannon 7
The two teams battled to a 3-3 tie midway through the period, but McKendree took control with the next three goals, but Gannon made it a one-goal game at 6-5 at the half as Sydney McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell) scored on the power play and Kerstyn Farley (Belle Isle, Fla./Lake Nona) followed with a goal in the final minute. The Bearcats would outscore Gannon 7-2 over the final 16 minutes. McKendree scored the first three goals of the third period to build a 9-5 lead but Jade Strickland (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) scored at 1:20 to make it 9-6 after three quarters. That's as close as it would get. Strickland and Sydney McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell) had two goals apiece for the Golden Knights. McKendree ended with a slight advantage in shots at 29-25, but the Bearcats shot 44.8 percent compared to 20.0 percent. They were also 3-of-5 on the power play compared to 2-of-9 for Gannon. Molly Sebunia (Erie, Pa./McDowell) had 10 saves in goal.

Gannon Scoring: Jade Strickland (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill) 2 goals; Sydney McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 2 goals; Ellie Velasco (Riverside, Calif./Arlington) 1 goal-3 assists; Kerstyn Farley (Belle Isle, Fla./Lake Nona) 1 goal; Madeline Slater (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) 1 goal; Kate Baker (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 1 assist; Molly Fehr (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) 1 assist.
Gannon Saves: Molly Sebunia (Erie, Pa./McDowell) 32 minutes-10 saves-13 goals.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Kate Baker: D/2D; Senior

#24 Josie Frisina: D; Sophomore

#1 Sydney Klakeg: G; Senior

#10 Sydney McGarry: D; Sophomore

#1A Molly Sebunia: G; Sophomore

#15 Madeline Slater: D; Junior

#2 Jade Strickland: D; Sophomore

#8 Ellie Velasco: D; Sophomore

#5 Kerstyn Farley: UTIL/2M; Freshman

#12 Molly Fehr: UTIL/2M; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#11 Kate Baker
: Senior
: D/2D

#24 Josie Frisina
: Sophomore
: D

#1 Sydney Klakeg
: Senior
: G

#10 Sydney McGarry
: Sophomore
: D

#1A Molly Sebunia
: Sophomore
: G

#15 Madeline Slater
: Junior
: D

#2 Jade Strickland
: Sophomore
: D

#8 Ellie Velasco
: Sophomore
: D

#5 Kerstyn Farley
: Freshman
: UTIL/2M

#12 Molly Fehr
: Freshman
: UTIL/2M