WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend women's water polo team fell twice on the first day of the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Regional Tournament held by Washington & Jefferson on Friday evening.
The Lions fell to Monmouth in the opener 9-7 and dropped an 11-6 decision to Macalester in the second match. Kara Stegmann (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) made 21 saves on the day and Lauren Wood (Vernon Hills, IL/Vernon Hills) posted a combined five goals.
Natalie Curtis made 12 saves for Monmouth, while Becca Dabrowski scored four goals.
The Blue Hawks took a 2-0 lead after the first quarter off a goal by Rachel Unger and another by Dabrowski with one second left in the period. Wood scored to start the second period to make it 2-1 and Behrend stayed within one goal until the end when Dambrowski tallied her third goal of the match.
Monmouth's lead grew to 9-4 two minutes into the fourth quarter. The Lions tallied the final three goals thanks to Wood, Brittany Pinter (Erie, PA/McDowell) and Alison McClure (Loveland, OH/Milford) in the remaining 3:18 of the match but it was not enough to get past the Blue Hawks.
Along with Wood, Pinter and McClure tallied two goals apiece.
In the second match against Macalester, Behrend held a 2-1 lead after the first quarter on a goal from Wood at the 4:55 mark and another from Pinter with 51 seconds to play. The Scots scored the next two goals and Maryn Horn (Houston, TX/Jersey Village) tied it at 3-all with a goal at 4:38 on the clock. Macalester scored three of the four final goals of the second quarter for a 6-4 advantage by halftime.
Wood tallied the last goal for the Lions in the third quarter two minutes in to make it 7-6, but the Scots would register five unanswered goals for an 11-6 decision.
Horn also drew three ejections and Stegmann posted 11 saves in the loss.
Behrend returns to action tomorrow against Connecticut College and Utica on day two of the Regionals. Game times are 10:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m., respectively.