POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - The Marist water polo team completed their first day of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) action, playing games against conference opponents Wagner and Iona at the McCann Natatorium. The Red Foxes mounted an impressive comeback in beating Iona, the conference preseason favorite, 13-12 in overtime. Earlier in the day they fell to Wagner, who was picked second in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, 10-9.
Trailing 5-2 at halftime, Marist (9-17, 1-1 MAAC) scored five goals in the third quarter to climb back into the game and only trail by two at 9-7.
Desiree Desaulniers (Orlando, Fla.) got the comeback started with a score at 4:54 of the third quarter. It started a string of three straight Marist goals. Alison Hamby (Sacramento, Calif.) found the back of the net 44 seconds later while Iona had a player excluded. Robyn Crabtree (Cutler Bay, Fla.) one-timed a pass from Hamby with 2:27 left to pull within one at 6-5. Following a pair of Gaels' goals, Anna-Lena Hathaway (Pasadena, Calif.) and Jessica Hamby (Sacramento) scored to keep the Red Foxes close.
Marist then scored four more times in the fourth quarter, including two five-meter strikes by Jaclyn Puccino (San Diego, Calif.), to tie the score at 11 at the end of regulation.
After the Gaels scored in the final second of the first overtime session, Kelly Kline (Reading, Pa.) and Jessica Hamby scored less than a minute apart in the second overtime to complete the Red Foxes' comeback. Rebecca Thomas (Cape Town, South Africa) made 11 saves in goal.
Jessica Hamby had four goals and her twin sister Alison Hamby scored two goals of her own and assisted on four others. Hathaway had a goal and two assists. Crabtree had a multi-point effort with a goal and an assist. Kline had four steals on defense in addition to her big
Against Wagner, Marist scored four goals in the fourth quarter, including two in the final minute, but just ran out of time before they could complete the comeback.
Jessica Hamby led the Red Foxes with three goals and Kline also scored twice. Crabtree had her second multi-point effort of the day with a goal and an assist. Thomas made 12 saves in goal and added a steal.
Hamby scored back-to-back goals and Desiree Desaulniers (Orlando, Fla.) also found the back of the net to start the second quarter and give Marist a 4-2 lead, but the Seahawks responded by scoring the final three goals of the half to regain the lead at the midway point, 5-4.
Wagner outscored the Red Foxes 4-1 in the third quarter to jump ahead 9-5, before Marist started their comeback.
Crabtree and Hannah Levien (Davis, Calif.) scored 22 seconds apart to start the fourth quarter and bring Marist to within two at 9-7. After a Wagner goal, Hamby scored with 42 seconds remaining and, after a quick steal, Kline scored at the 30 second mark to close the deficit to one at 10-9.
Marist was unable to get possession back as Wagner ran out the clock.
