April 18, 2009
Water Polo Senior Day Gallery
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Senior captain Lauren Garrigan tied her own single-season program record with 80 goals as the Siena water polo team split a pair of MAAC home games this afternoon on Senior Day at Siena Swim Center. The Saints slipped past St. Francis (N.Y.) 11-10 before being topped by Iona 10-6 in the nightcap.
In the first game of the day, the Saints (10-15, 3-5) and Terriers (7-10, 3-5) fought back and forth in a seesaw affair. Siena stormed out to a 4-2 lead after the first period, only to see that lead evaporate into a 5-5 tie at the half. St. Francis doubled their goal total in the third to build a 10-9 lead heading into the final period, but the Saints scored the only two goals of the fourth to pull it out.
Garrigan netted a hat trick as did Camille Norman and Devan Ragg. Nicole Hagi and Lauren Biehle added the other goals. Lynh Nguyen was stout between the pipes, registering 11 saves in earning the victory.
Kristine Vessey led the Terriers with a hat trick, while Andrea Dolnay, Ana Milicev and Thalita Paladino added multiple goal efforts.
Prior to the final game of the day, the Saints honored seniors Garrigan, Biehle and Erin Clune along with seniors managers Jennifer Dinnel and Michael Hickey in a special pregame ceremony.
As for the game itself, Iona (19-7, 6-2) led throughout although it was close for the majority of the first half, with the Gaels harboring just a 5-3 lead at the half. But Iona accounted for three of the four third period goals to put it away.
Garrigan added yet another hat trick, running her season goal total to 80. That ties the program's single-season record which she set last year, with two regular season games remaining to try and break it.
Ragg contributed two goals and Norman had the other. Nguyen again was solid in goal, making 13 saves.
Lauren Peterson had five goals to pace the goals, while Kathleen Link tallied eight saves in picking up the win.
The Saints return to action tomorrow for their final two regular season games in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Siena will battle host Marist at 12 p.m. before concluding with Wagner at 3 p.m.
