Harvard University Goes 1-1 on First Day of ECAC Championship

Elise Molnar

PRINCETON, N.J.-- The Harvard University women's water polo team lost in the opening round of the ECAC Championship as the Crimson's upset bid fell short against Marist College 12-10 before rebounding to pick up a come-from-behind win over Wagner College, 14-9, in the evening match.

Seeded seventh in the tournament, Harvard fell to Marist to open play.  Trailing 7-3 at halftime, the squad chipped away throughout the second stanza. Sophomore Monica Zdrojewski pulled Harvard within a goal, 9-8, with five minutes left to play. The two squads traded goals but the Red Foxes held on to win 12-10.

Sophomore Devan Kennifer lead the charge with four goals. Freshman Elise Molnar and Zdrojewski each netted a pair of goals. Lizzie Abbott and Ita Barton-Kettleborough rounded out the scoring with a goal apiece.

Against Wagner, Harvard trailed early and eventually gained a lead that it would not relenquish. The Crimson were behind 3-2 at the end of the first quarter and 6-3 going into halftime before a second half charge spurred Harvard to the 14-9 victory.

The Crimson limited the Seahawks to just a single goal in the third quarter and buried four of its own to knot the score at 7-7. In the final eight minutes, Harvard's offense scored on four of its first five possessions and netted seven tallies compared to Wagner's two to roll to victory.

Overall, Kennifer turned in her second four-goal performance of the day, while Patricia Smith recorded a hat trick.  Abbott and Barton-Kettleborough both notched two goals, while Molnar, Shannon Purcell and Zdrojewski each found the back of the net once in the contest.

Laurel McCarthy stopped nine shots in the game to help Harvard claim its seventh victory of the 2010 campaign and advance to the fifth place game at the championship on Sunday against Bucknell University.

Release courtesy Harvard Athletic Communications