LEXINGTON, Va. – Looking for a strong finish to its host weekend of conference games, the Virginia Military Institute water polo team split the second day with a 19-15 win over St. Francis followed by a close 11-9 loss to Villanova Sunday afternoon at Clark King Pool.
A day after putting in six goals against Siena, freshman Shelby Barkley put in another six in the morning match against St. Francis. The Institute record for goals in a single game is seven held by teammates Mackenzie Perkins and Celine Lazzaro. Cecilya Lundy contributed four goals while Lazzaro and Bailey Huddleston each put in a pair.
Huddleston struck first for the Keydets (9-13, 3-6) in the opening minute with Barkley adding another three minutes in. The Terriers responded with three goals before VMI went on a four-goal run to end the period. For the run, Barkley scored followed by goals from Sierra Payne, Lazzaro and Sophia DelBondio.
The Terriers outscored the Keydets by a goal in the second period with Kristen Kleist scoring a pair before Keydet Lundy scored. Kleist added another before a Huddleston goal as VMI went into the half with an 8-6 lead.
VMI jumped ahead in the third period by outscoring the Terriers 6-2 and building a dominant 16-8 advantage. In the period, the Keydets had goals from Barkley (3), Perkins, Lundy and Serrano. St. Francis countered with a strong fourth quarter, outscoring the Keydets 7-5, but the VMI lead withheld as the Keydets earned the 19-15 victory.
Keeper Emily Farsakian picked up the win with five saves while St. Francis' Melanie Brooks had the loss with two saves.
Villanova 11, VMI 9
After defeating Villanova last weekend in Poughkeepsie, New York, the Keydets came up short in Sunday afternoon's effort against the Wildcats as Villanova escaped with the 11-9 victory.
Off the heels of an upset victory over No. 14 Wagner Saturday night, the Wildcats were hungry for additional wins and had enough momentum to defeat the Keydets.
Villanova led 2-1 after the opening quarter before both teams went nearly goal-for-goal in the second. Rebecca Serrano scored for the Keydets in the frame before the Wildcats put one in. Three consecutive goals from Natalie Rivas, Lazzaro and Serrano put VMI up, 5-3, but Villanova's Sarina Shibata responded with two Wildcat goals to tie the game at five at intermission.
The Wildcats scored four goals to the Keydets' three in the third period as Nova's Sadie Dutcher scored a pair while VMI's Perkins, Huddleston and Haley Scott contributed for the Keydets as
Villanova went into the fourth with a 9-8 advantage. Shibata added two more midway through the quarter put the Wildcats up three as Barkley's final goal with 1:38 remaining was not enough.
The Keydets have two weeks of preparation before heading to the New York City area from Apr. 11-12. VMI faces Wagner and Iona on Apr. 11 in New Rochelle, New York, before seeing St. Francis an Siena again on Apr. 12 in Staten Island, New York.
The MAAC Championships will be held Saturday, Apr. 25 in Poughkeepsie, New York.
