Women's Water Polo | 1/30/2016 8:24:00 PM

ANN ARBOR, MI – Nationally 17^th ranked Hartwick fell in its opening two matches of the 2016 season on Saturday at the University of Michigan Invite. The Hawks lost a heartbreaking game in sudden-death overtime, 16-15, to No. 11 UC Santa Barbara in their first contest of the day. In the second, No. 15 San Diego State topped 'Wick 15-12.
           
Against the Gauchos, the Hawks grabbed a 3-1 lead in the first quarter after tallies from Katie McKenty (Auckland, New Zealand/Takapuna Grammar School), L.J. Edwards (Enchinitas, CA/Cathedral Catholic), and Lauren Brennan (Canberra, Australia/St. Clares College). The margin was increased to three after Zsofia Polak (Dunaujvaros, Hungary/Rudas HS) scored to make it 6-3 'Wick with 3:03 left in the second before the Hawks took a 7-5 advantage into halftime.
           
The Gauchos evened the game at 7-all and then again at 8-8 in the third quarter before a Brittany Tait (Kariong, Australia/Harry Kendall HS) goal pushed the Hawks ahead, 9-8, heading into the final quarter.
           
With the score knotted at 10, McKenty tallied at 6:41, and Polak increased the lead to 12-10 with 4:19 left in the match. UCSB answered 21 seconds later and tied it on the man-advantage with 1:59 remaining.
           
The Gauchos had two more cracks at getting the game-winner in the final minute, but Michaela Davies (Cronulla, Australia/Kirawee HS) made stops in the Hawks' cage on both occasions.
           
UCSB got the only goal of the first 3-minute overtime. Nikolina Mihajlovik (Mississauga, ONT/Silverthorn Collegiate Institute) answered on a 5-meter shot with 2:15 remaining in the second three-minute period to even the score at 13-13.
           
The Gauchos jumped ahead on the power play with only 37 seconds left. Tait found the net 22 seconds later to force sudden death. UCSD would win the sprint to open the period, and Lauren Martin scored 21 seconds in to end the game.
           
Polak and McKenty led Hartwick with three goals apiece. Brennan, Edwards, Mihajlovik, and Tait had two goals apiece. Polak also dished out three assists. Davies stopped 18 Gaucho shots in the match.
           
Against the Aztecs, the two teams were tied at 7-7 with 4:54 to play in the second quarter, but SDSU scored four unanswered goals to close the half up 11-7. Five different Hawks would register goals up to that point, led by Polak's two tallies.
           
Three more goals in the first 3:20 of the third period extended the Aztecs' lead to 14-7. Polak and Mihajlovik got the final two goals of the quarter to trim the deficit to five, 14-9.
           
Polak's fourth and fifth goal of the game in the opening 2:28 of the fourth made it 14-11. Brennan then scored with 1:59 left to play to make it a two-goal game, 14-12.
           
Polak would hit the post with just over a minute remaining and the Aztecs put the game away with their final tally with 56 seconds showing on the clock.
           
Davies accumulated another 12 saves in the match. Polak led the Hawks with five goals and two assists with Mihajlovik registering two goals. Brennan, Tait, McKenty, Natalie May (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison HS), and Charlotte Cottle (Blakehurst, Australia/Presbyterian Ladies College) each added one tally.
           
Hartwick continues play at the Michigan Invite tomorrow against No. 12 University of the Pacific and Marist.