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Sam Young

Women's Water Polo 4/29/2023 8:57:00 PM Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon to Face Salem in Seventh-Place Match

Golden Knights fall to Mercyhurst 9-6 on Saturday

O'FALLON, Ill. – The second period proved to be the difference on Saturday morning in Gannon's consolation round game against Mercyhurst at the WWPA Championships. The Lakers outscored Gannon (6-18) 4-1 in the pivotal second period and went on to hold off the Golden Knights 9-6.

Gannon, the number four seed out of the Eastern Division, will now face Salem, the second seed in the Eastern Division on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. in the seventh-place match. McKendree is hosting the WWPA Championships at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex. The Golden Knights finished seventh a year ago.

The two teams had split a pair of regular season matches and were tied at 1-1 after one period, with Ellie Velasco (Riverside, Calif./Arlington) accounting for Gannon's goal off a feed from Jade Strickland (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill). Strickland scored on a power play to tie the match at 2-2 with 5:20 left in the second period, but Mercyhurst went on to score the final three goals in the period for a 5-2 lead at intermission.

The Lakers added a fourth straight goal early in the third period for a 6-2 lead but Gannon eventually came back to pull within a goal. Strickland scored a pair of goals, assisted by Molly Fehr (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria) on both, to pull Gannon to within 7-4 after three periods.

The combination worked again to make it 7-5 with 6:59 left, only this time Fehr scored the power play goal and Strickland assisted. A minute later Sydney McGarry (Erie, Pa./McDowell) found the back of the net on a power play to cut the deficit to a goal at 7-6.

Gannon would not score over the final six minutes and Mercyhurst's Hanna Good scored two more insurance goals for the final margin.

The Golden Knights held a 24-22 advantage in shots, but their shooting percentage was at .250 while Mercyhurst was at .409. The Lakers were an efficient 4-for-6 on the power play while Gannon was 4-for 12.

Strickland, who earlier in the week was named a first team All-WWPA performer, led Gannon with three goals and a pair of assists. Fehr, a WWPA All-Freshman Team honoree, added a goal and two assists. Molly Sebunia (Erie, Pa./McDowell) played all 32 minutes in goals and finished with six saves.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Sydney McGarry: D; Sophomore

#1A Molly Sebunia: G; Sophomore

#2 Jade Strickland: D; Sophomore

#8 Ellie Velasco: D; Sophomore

#12 Molly Fehr: UTIL/2M; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#10 Sydney McGarry
: Sophomore
: D

#1A Molly Sebunia
: Sophomore
: G

#2 Jade Strickland
: Sophomore
: D

#8 Ellie Velasco
: Sophomore
: D

#12 Molly Fehr
: Freshman
: UTIL/2M