March 27, 2010

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist water polo team had a wire-to-wire 10-8 victory over Harvard on Saturday at the McCann Natatorium in its final non-conference home game of the season. The win improved Marist to 7-12 on the year. Senior Rachel Sunday (Carlisle, Pa.) led the scoring for Marist with six goals to help the Red Foxes sink the Crimson for the second time this season.

The Red Foxes opened the scoring at the 6:21 mark of the first quarter with a goal by senior Samantha Swartz (Harleysville, Pa.) to take a 1-0 lead. Sunday then had back-to-back goals to help Marist open the game on a 3-0 run.

After Harvard scored their first goal of the game with 3:51 to go in the quarter, Marist answered right back when Swartz scored her second of the game at the 2:26 mark to make the score 4-1. Sunday scored her third goal with 42 seconds left in the first to put Marist up 5-2.

Harvard opened up the second quarter with a goal, but once again Marist was able to answer right back. Emily St. Omer Roy (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) then scored with 2:07 left in the second to put the Red Foxes ahead 7-3. Marist led at halftime 7-4.

Sunday got Marist off to a fast start in the third quarter with back-to-back goals, her fourth and fifth of the game, to give Marist a 9-4 which they would not relinquish. At that point, the Red Foxes had scored four of the last five goals to give themselves a five goal lead, their largest of the game.

Harvard attempted a comeback late in the game with three unanswered goals to get within two at 9-7. However, it was Sunday once again who scored her sixth goal of the game to cap off the victory for Marist.

Senior goalie Jessica Getchius (Simi Valley, Calif.), had nine saves in net on the day for Marist. Senior driver Angie Rampton (Simi Valley, Calif.) added five assists for the Red Foxes.

Marist will return to the pool with its first two MAAC Water Polo League games of the season on Saturday, April 13 at Villanova. The Red Foxes will take on St. Francis (NY) at 11:30 a.m. and Wagner at 2:30 p.m.

Line Score 1 2 3 4 F
Harvard 2 2 0 4 8
Marist 5 2 2 1 10

Goals: Sunday 6, Pauli 1, St. Omer Roy 1, Swartz 2.

Assists: Barnett 1, Rampton 5, Swartz 2, Konopka 3, Kline 1.

Steals: Schroeder 2, Sunday 2, Rampton 4, St. Omer Roy 3, Swartz 4, Fellmeth 1.

Ejections: Barnett 1, Rampton 2, Pauli 2, St. Omer Roy 1, Swartz 1 and 1 5M, Kline 1 5M, Rinker 3.

Ejections Drawn: Sunday 2, Barnett 1, Rampton 1.

Saves: Getchius 9