Women's Water Polo | 4/24/2015 4:49:00 PM

PRINCETON, NJ – Player of the Game Blanca Anton Cuesta (Madrid, Spain) scored two straight power-play goals in the second quarter to put fifth-seeded Hartwick up for good in a 12-10 victory over fourth-seeded Harvard in a CWPA quarterfinal played in Princeton, NJ on Friday. With the win, Hartwick (19-18) advances to Saturday's semifinal against Princeton.
           
The victory avenges an 11-6 loss to the Crimson on March 1 in a game played at Bucknell. It also ensures the program's 12^th CWPA semifinal appearance in 14 seasons.  
           
Anton Cuesta finished with four goals in the game. Lara Dendy Young (Cape Town, South Africa) also registered four goals and Zsofia Polak's (Dunaujvaros, Hungary) contributed a pair of tallies.
           
With three goals in the opening 3:23, Harvard would grab a 3-1 first-quarter advantage on the Hawks. Dendy Young answered at 3:34 of the period on the power play and Nikolina Mihajlovik (Mississauga, ONT) scored on a penalty shot 46 seconds later to tie the game at 3-3. Anton Cuesta's first goal of the game closed out the first quarter scoring with Hartwick up 4-3.
           
Dendy Young converted another goal on the man-advantage for a two goal cushion, 5-3, but Harvard goals from Melissa Balding and Kalina Grabb tied the score at 5-5 with 6:31 remaining in the half.
           
Power-play goals from Anton Cuesta at 5:46 and 3:10 would make the score 7-5 Hartwick. Dendy Young then found the net for her third of the day before a late Harvard tally made it 8-6 'Wick at halftime.
           
The margin remained two goals for the first six minutes of the second half. Goals from Dendy Young and Katie McKenty (Auckland, New Zealand) 1:08 apart deep in the quarter extended the Hawks' advantage to four goals, 10-6. Balding got one back for the Crimson with 10 ticks left.
           
Harvard trimmed the gap to two, 10-8, 1:22 into the fourth on a Michelle Martinelli goal. Anton Cuesta responded 59 seconds later with her fourth goal of the match. Balding countered with her fourth of the day 25 ticks after Anton Cuesta's goal and the game stayed 11-9 until less than two minutes remained.
           
With 1:25 left in the match, Polak converted on a breakaway to put 'Wick up 12-9. Brittany Tait (Kariong, Australia) made a steal on Harvard's next possession and goalie Michaela Davies (Cronulla, Australia) made one of her 12 saves on the next one to keep the lead at three. A late Harvard penalty shot with 12 seconds left provided the final margin.
           
The win ups Hartwick's all-time record against Harvard to 29-2. The 20^th ranked Hawks now play top-seed and nationally 12^th ranked Princeton. The Hawks' semifinal match will begin at 5:20 p.m. The two teams met earlier this season with the Tigers winning 9-4.