April 25, 2010

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist water polo team swam away with its unprecedented third consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Women's Water Polo championship on Sunday, taking down the second-seeded Iona Gaels 18-5 at the McCann Center Natatorium. Senior Samantha Swartz (Harleysville, Pa.) was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player after recording three goals in the title game. Angie Rampton (Simi Valley, Calif.) also had three goals on Sunday and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Iona (21-13) got on the board first as Maggie Wood scored at the 5:44 mark of the first quarter. That would be the Gaels' lone goal of the first half. Rampton, Kristen Barnett (Houston, Texas), Emily St. Omer Roy (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), and Rosie Pauli (Sacramento, Calif.) each scored within the final 3:40 of the quarter to give the Red Foxes a 4-1 lead.

Marist (18-14) continued to pour it on in the second quarter. Rampton and Pauli scored back-to-back to put the Red Foxes up 6-1 with 6:12 to go in the half. Swartz scored her first goal of the game with 2:45 remaining in the second to make the score 7-1. Rachel Sunday (Carlisle, Pa.) and Robyn Crabtree (Cutler Bay, Fla.) each scored in the final two minutes of the half to give Marist a 9-1 halftime lead.

The Red Foxes outscored Iona 3-1 in the third quarter, as a pair of Jessica Getchius (Simi Valley, Calif.) made 16 saves in goal with a steal and an assist.

Marist now advances to the 2010 NCAA Women's Water Polo Tournament with the MAAC Water Polo League's automatic bid. The NCAA Tournament will be held at the Aztec Aquaplex on the campus of San Diego State University in San Diego, Calif. May 14-16. The bracket for the NCAA Tournament will be released on Monday, May 3.