LEXINGTON,
Va. – Mark it in the history books: VMI water polo posted its first-ever win in
its very first game, dominating Salem International University 22-6 at home.
Freshman captain Molly Andoe had the honor of netting the team's first goal
just 23 seconds in.
“We
talked yesterday and this win has been a long time coming,” said VMI head coach
Anna Phelps. “I was hired two years ago to put this program together and we've
been waiting for this day. It was awesome and felt great.”
Senior
Chelsea Nugent was the first game's leading scorer, finding the back of the net
seven times while Andoe chipped in another six markers. Mackenzie Perkins was
VMI's other multiple goal scorer as she found the net four times. Five other
players logged one goal, including co-captain Samantha Farr. Caroline Pryor,
Elise Reed and Katheryne Austin all chipped in to help VMI log the victory.
“We had
a really nice and controlled front court offense and I think we played good
team defense,” said Phelps. “We had standing room only for a crowd tonight and
it feels really good to have a win under our belt.”
Salem
International, a program with is returning from an eight-year hiatus following
the 2004 season, had all six of its goals scored by Kerinn Fields.
Senior
soccer netminder turned water polo keeper Amanda Berrios was in the cage for
the first-ever VMI win. Salem International's Tre'Shaun Roberson suffered the
loss.
VMI
(1-0) jumped out to a quick start as Andoe logged the first-ever goal. Nugent
wasted no team scoring the second, just 28 seconds after Andoe, putting the
Keydets up 2-0.
“It was
a great feeling,” said Andoe of scoring the program's first goal. “I wanted to
come out and set the tone right away and let them know that VMI water polo is
here to play.”
But the
Tigers (1-0) answered back 20 seconds later as Fields ripped her first mark of
the night. VMI grabbed control of the game, connecting five unanswered goals,
including two from Perkins and another pair from Andoe. Nugent capped the run
with 48 seconds left on the clock in the first quarter.
Fields
attempted to rally, putting away her second with 22 seconds left in the period,
but Farr answered right back, tallying VMI's eighth of the quarter with only
nine seconds left in the opening quarter.
The
second quarter was all VMI as the Keydets rattled off an additional five goals,
blanking the Tigers in the second eight minutes. Nugent posted another two
goals while Andoe, Pryor and Reed each had one, giving VMI six different goal
scorers in the first half.
The
Keydets took a 13-2 advantage into the half time break.
Salem
International put together back-to-back goals to open the second half, cutting
the VMI lead to 13-4. But Perkins and Austin would each score to extend the
Keydet lead back to triple digits.
Once
again, VMI dominated in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Tigers 7-2. Andoe
posted the first two Keydet goals of the fourth, bookending back-to-back goals
from Fields, which proved to be the final SIU tallies of the night.
The
Keydets finished strong, running off six goals to finish the game, include
Andoe's and another three from Nugent. Magill and Perkins accounted for one
each.
VMI will return to action
on March 9 when it heads to the west coast to participate in the
Claremont-Convergence, hosted by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Keydets will take
on CMS in the first game, slated to begin at 12:40 p.m. Central Standard/1:40
Eastern Standard Time.
