Women's Water Polo | 3/11/2016 7:21:00 PM

DAVIS/ROHNERT PARK, CA – The #19 Hartwick Hawks (12-6) defeated Asuza Pacific 15-9 at UC Davis to start the day, traveled to Sonoma State for a 12-5 victory, and then returned for a 12-11 loss to #6 UC Davis on Friday.
                       
In the first game of the day, Hartwick used a 4-0 run in the second quarter to move ahead of Asuza Pacific for good. The Cougars got within three in the fourth quarter but the Hawks answered with three straight for their biggest lead of the game, 13-7, and they would secure their eleventh victory of the season.
                       
Zsofia Polak (Dunaujvaros, Hungary/Rudas HS) scored five goals to lead 'Wick with Lauren Brennan (Canberra, Australia/St. Clares College) and Nikolina Mihajlovik (Mississauga, ONT/Silverthorn Collegiate Inst.) each scoring three.
                       
Polak and Mihajlovik scored goals in the first quarter as the Hawks battled back from a pair of deficits for a 2-2 tie after eight minutes. The Cougars went ahead 3-2 in the second, but two goals from Mihajlovik and one apiece from Brennan and Katie McKenty (Auckland, New Zealand/Takapuna Grammar School) made it 6-3. Asuza Pacific would net one more goal and Hartwick led 6-4 at halftime.
                       
Polak and Brennan added scores as the two teams traded goals in the third period. A Polak pair then extended the margin to 10-6 heading into the final period. Maria Moya (Madrid, Spain/Ortega Y Gasset), Polak, and L.J. Edwards (Encinitas, CA/Cathedral Catholic) increased the lead to six in the fourth quarter. Brennan and Brittany Tait (Kariong, Australia/Harry Kendall HS) finished off the 'Wick scoring. Josette Santos (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison HS) would make 11 saves in the Hawks' cage.  
                       
At Sonoma State, the Hawks would jump out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter. Charlotte Cottle (Blakehurst, Australia/Presbyterian Ladies College) and Brennan scored the first two goals for 'Wick. Brennan and Polak then added power-play goals for the three-goal lead after eight minutes.
                       
An Edwards' tally made it 5-1 'Wick 1:06 into the second quarter. The Seawolves made it 5-2 with a goal at 3:21 and the Hawks led 5-2 at half.
                       
Two straight tallies 37 seconds apart from Tait and Polak increased the margin to five, 7-2. Tait, Natalie May (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison HS), Edwards, and Polak tacked on four more scores in the final 2:35 of the third period for an 11-2 advantage. In the fourth, the Seawolves scored two of three goals for the final 12-5 margin.
                       
Santos would record 13 saves in the game while surrendering just five goals.  
                       
Against the Aggies, the Hawks scored three consecutive goals in the third quarter to take an 8-7 lead. The Aggies used a 3-0 run to jump ahead before the Hawks tied it on a Polak goal with 1:38 left in the contest. Davis would register the game-winner with 45 ticks left.
                       
Mihajlovik (4) and Polak (3) combined for seven goals in the match. Brennan, Tait, McKenty, and Cottle also had goals for the Hawks.
                       
Michaela Davies (Cronulla, Australia/Kirawee HS) stopped eight Aggie shots in the game.           
                       
Hartwick will wrap up its California trip with games against Cal State Monterey and Santa Clara tomorrow.