Siena Water Polo (6-11, 3-3 MAAC) battled through a challenging slate at the VMI Aquatic Center, dropping a 15-7 decision to No. 24 Villanova before coming up just short in a heartbreaking 20-19 shootout loss to host VMI.
#24 Villanova 15, Siena 7
Siena ran into a sharp and efficient Villanova squad in its opening contest, as the Wildcats used a balanced offensive attack and early momentum to pull away.
Rebecca Currie,
Catherine Williamson, and
Quincy Frommelt each scored twice to pace the Saints, while goalkeeper
Savana Slaughter anchored the defense with nine saves. Despite those efforts, Villanova controlled the tempo from the outset.
After Riley Hull opened the scoring for the Wildcats, Currie answered to even things early. However, Villanova responded with a decisive 4-0 run to seize control and never looked back. Siena showed flashes in the third quarter, but the Wildcats maintained their cushion behind a five-goal performance from Ella Mattocks and a 27-15 edge in shots.
VMI 20, Siena 19 (SO)
The Saints rebounded with one of their most spirited performances of the season, engaging in a back-and-forth thriller with VMI that ultimately extended to a shootout.
Catherine Williamson delivered a historic outing, pouring in a career-high 13 goals while adding two assists and two blocks in a dominant offensive display. Frommelt contributed two goals and two assists, and Slaughter recorded seven saves in cage.
Jade Arnold played a key role in possession battles, winning four sprints.
Siena struck first on a goal from Currie and carried momentum into the second quarter, where Williamson erupted for four straight goals to build a 7-4 advantage. VMI answered behind a pair of penalty shots from Sadie Smith to keep things tight, and the teams traded blows throughout the second half.
Late in regulation, Williamson came through again with a clutch goal to keep Siena in front, but VMI answered in the closing moments to force a shootout. The Keydets ultimately edged the Saints in the extra frame, handing Siena a narrow 20-19 defeat.
Siena will look to bounce back when it faces La Salle on Sunday, March 29 at 9:30 a.m. at the VMI Aquatic Center in Lexington, VA.
