Scoreboard

Bryce Dolak

Women's Water Polo 4/28/2023 4:32:00 PM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Falls to Biola in Opening Round of WWPA Championships

O'FALLON, Ill. – The Gannon women's water polo team dropped its opening match in the WWPA Championships on Friday afternoon, falling to Biola 17-7. Biola came in as the number one seed in the Western Division and is now 15-14 while Gannon was the fourth seed in the Eastern Division. The Golden Knights are now 6-17. McKendree University is hosting the championships at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex.

Gannon will now face crosstown rival Mercyhurst on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. in the consolation round. Mercyhurst, the third seed from the Eastern Division, lost to No. 2E Cal State East Bay 10-4. The winner will move on to play in Sunday's fifth place game while the loser plays in the seventh-place game. The Golden Knights finished seventh a year ago thanks to an 11-8 win over Mercyhurst. The two teams split a pair of matches this season.

Gannon faced Biola in the opening round for the second straight year. The Bears scored the first six goals of the match and led 7-1 after one period. Molly Fehr (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) ended Biola's opening run with a goal at the 1:18 mark, assisted by Ellie Velasco (Riverside, Calif./Arlington).

Biola would maintain its lead at 10-4 at the half as Gannon matched the Bears 3-3 in the second period. Neither team scored for almost half of the second period before Biola made it 8-1 with 4:24 remaining. Sydney McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell) scored on an powerplay, assisted by Jade Strickland (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill), to make it 8-2 with 3:05 left, and Madeline Slater (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) scored thanks to a feed from Fehr to cut the lead to 9-3 with 2:27 to play in the half. Gannon added a powerplay goal by Strickland, assisted by Slater, in the final two minutes.

Biola extended its lead to 14-4 with the first four goals of the second half before McGarry scored her second goal of the match at 1:29. Hanna Kownacki (Cypress, Texas/Bridgeland) assisted on the goal.

Strickland and Slater added their second goals for Gannon in the fourth period.

Biola finished with a 35-31 edge in shots. The Bears had a .486 shooting percentage while Gannon was at .226. Gannon was 4-of-11 on power plays while Biola was 3-of-6.

Sydney Klakeg (Santa Barbara, Calif./Choate Rosemary Hall) started in goal and played the first half, registering four saves. Molly Sebunia (Erie, Pa./McDowell) played the final 16 minutes and had two saves.

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Players Mentioned

#1 Sydney Klakeg: G; Senior

#13 Hanna Kownacki: D; Sophomore

#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

#12 Molly Fehr: UTIL/2M; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Sydney Klakeg
: Senior
: G

#13 Hanna Kownacki
: Sophomore
: D

#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

#12 Molly Fehr
: Freshman
: UTIL/2M