STOCKTON, CA- The Hartwick women's water polo team faced #17 Pacific in the nightcap of the Pacific Invitational on Saturday evening. The Hawks tied the game early in the fourth quarter but the Tigers scored twice in the final frame to come away with a 9-7 victory. Hartwick's record is now 3-1 while Pacific is 6-2.
The Hawks received two goals from
Sami Capparelli (Miami, FL) and
Katie Ermakova (Columbia, MD).
Jemma Dendy Young (Cape Town, South Africa),
Allison Kosich (Stockton, CA) and
Britt Tait (Kairong, Australia) all added one goal each.
Haley Cox (El Segundo, CA) had six saves in goal.
Gracie Smith led all scorers with three goals. Rebecca Wright and Brydie Pye each added a pair of scores. Goalkeeper Michele Relton blocked 13 shots.
The two teams traded goals to open the first quarter before the Tigers fired off three consecutive scores to take a 4-1 lead into the second frame. Hartwick responded with back-to-back goals in the second period but Pacific regained a two-goal advantage on a power-player goal from Wright at the 2:47 mark. Each team added a score down the stretch as the Tigers led 6-4 at halftime.
Hartwick remained in the game behind goals from Dendy Young and Capparelli in the third frame, the second of which tied the match at 6-6 with 3:01 showing on the clock. With 22 seconds left in the quarter, Elise Martin found Smith in the center and she put away a backhand goal to put Pacific up 7-6 with one period left.
Kosich would tie the match at 6:05 of the fourth frame but the Tigers got a power-play goal from Taylor Adair at the 5:32 mark before Wright iced the game for Pacific with 3:49 remaining to play. The Hawks had two chances to score in the final minute but both shots were off the mark as the Tigers hung on for the victory.
The Hawks are back in action on Sunday as they next head to Palo Alto, CA to compete in the Stanford Invitational. Hartwick will face #8 San Jose State at 8 a.m. Pacific time.
No. 17 Pacific 9, No. 16 Hartwick 7
Hartwick 1 - 3 - 2 - 1 -- 7
Pacific 4 - 2 - 1 - 2 -- 9
Goals
Hartwick - Capparelli 2, Ermakova 2, J. Dendy Young, Kosich, Tait
Pacific - Smith 3, Pye 2, Wright 2, Adair, Mann,
Goalkeeper Saves
Hartwick - Cox 6
Pacific - Relton 13
