CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Shelby Barkley scored three goals over the two games, but it was not enough to overcome strong offensive performances by Brown and #11 Princeton as the VMI women's water polo team dropped its first two games at the Harvard Invite Saturday in Cambridge, Mass. Brown downed VMI (1-5) 10-3 before #11 Princeton prevailed 16-5.
In the opener against Brown, the Keydets were held off the board in the first half, allowing Brown to score the first seven goals of the game. Rebecca Serrano got the Keydets on the board in a rough-and-tumble third quarter, a period marked by five exclusions and a misconduct call, and Barkley and Natalie Rivas tallied later in the match as well. Olivia Santiago led Brown with three goals.
Against the 11th-ranked Tigers in the nightcap, Princeton scored six goals in the second quarter to break open a close match and went on to the win. Barkley scored twice to lead VMI, while Serrano, Rivas and Caitlyn Jackson all tallied as well. Haley Wan and Hannah Lapkin had three goals apiece for Princeton.
VMI water polo is back in action Sunday, as the Keydets resume action at Harvard. VMI faces Connecticut College at 10:30 a.m. before battling the host school at 2:15 p.m.
