Poughkeepsie, NY – The No. 18 Wagner women's water polo team became the first program in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) history to win five consecutive league titles after defeating Marist College, 10-7, on Sunday.
With the victory, the Seahawks earn the league's automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Championship.
The Green & White held the Red Foxes scoreless during the first 16 minutes of play, leading 2-0 following a pair of scores by sophomore attack
Jacqui Sjogren.
Sjogren's third goal of the contest, along with back-to-back goals by First team All-MAAC members Junior attack
Erica Hardy and Senior
Kimberly Watson, gave the Seahawks a 5-0 lead at the end of the first half. Hardy and Watson sank one more goal apiece to start the third stanza in style, giving the Green & White a 7-0 lead.
However, Marist did not go away quietly. After Katherine Tijerina found the back of the net with 3:08 remaining in the third quarter, two scores by Diana Carballo, followed by a Lauren Smith goal, cut Wagner's lead to 7-4.
Sjogren answered, netting her fourth goal of the game in the final period. Carballo scored for the Red Foxes with 6:02 remaining in the game before senior attack
Lacey Anderson answered with her first goal of the game, giving the Green & White a 9-5 lead.
Watson, who was named MAAC Tournament MVP for the second year in a row, scored the final Seahawk goal of the game to give Wagner a 10-5 advantage. Tijerina and Smith rallied for one more goal apiece for the Red Foxes, but it wasn't enough, as the Seahawks emerged victorious after 32 minutes of play.
Freshman goalie
Katherine Campbell finished with five saves in the win.
Wagner's fifth straight conference tournament victory is the most consecutive titles by any program in Wagner College Athletics history. Seniors
Kimberly Watson,
Lacey Anderson,
Elise Begg, and
Anna Ward are the second class in Wagner history to win a championship in each season of their collegiate career, joining last year's senior class.
The NCAA Women's Water Polo selection show will be streamed on NCAA.com tomorrow, April 30 at 8:00 pm.
NOTES
- Six of Wagner's eight MAAC Championship title game victories have come against Marist (2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2007).
- Since April 12, 2015, the Seahawks are 44-0 against conference foes.
- Over the course of two games, two-time MAAC Tournament MVP Kimberly Watson found the back of the net seven times to lead the Seahawks scoring attack. In today's win, Watson notched three goals, four drawn exclusions, and three steals.
- Sophomore attack Jacqui Sjoren and freshman goalie Katherine Campbell were named members of the All-Championship Team.
- The Seahawks shot .345 percent for the game and went 4-9 on powerplays.
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