Utica Slips Past Lions, 5-4
The Penn State Behrend women’s water polo team fell to Utica by a score of 5-4 in day two of the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championships. The Lions (6-15) trailed by as many as three in the second half but saw their comeback attempt fall one goal short.
GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend women's water polo team fell to Utica by a score of 5-4 in day two of the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championships. The Lions (6-15) trailed by as many as three in the second half but saw their comeback attempt fall one goal short.
Utica (3-14) played well in the first half holding Behrend scoreless and took a 3-0 lead to the locker room at the break.
Kaitlyn Conely (Exeter, CA/Exeter) scored the first of her three goals in the game at the 6:24 mark in the third quarter to get the Lions on the board and begin their comeback.
Allie Schneider (Erie, PA/McDowell) came up with a huge score for Behrend as the clock ticked zero to end the third quarter that cut the Utica lead to 4-2 with a one quarter left to play.
In the first minute of the final frame Conely drilled a goal that made it a one score game. Utica responded with a goal just 12 seconds later to take a two goal lead.
Refusing to give up, Conely again came up with a huge score that once again cut the lead to one with just 2:28 remaining. Utica's defense stood tall and held on for the 5-4 victory.
Kara Stegmann (Harleysville, PA/Souderton Area) and the Behrend defense played well limiting Utica to just five scores. Stegmann made one save.
The Lions will attempt to break the program's all-time win mark later today in the seventh place game against Monmouth. The match will start at 2:20 p.m.