POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. - Despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead in its first ever MAAC Tournament match, the No. 3 seed VMI water polo team was edged by host #24 (No. 2 seed) Marist College, 11-7, Saturday afternoon at McCann Natatorium in Poughkeepsie, New York.

As No. 4 seed Iona College was defeated by No. 1 seed Wagner College by a 13-5 score in the first semifinal, the Keydets will now face the Gaels Sunday in the consolation match at 12 p.m.

Marist and Wagner will compete for the MAAC title shortly after at 2 p.m. The winner of the MAAC Tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

VMI freshman Emma Noble scored the first goal of the game and junior Shelby Barkley notched another to put the Keydets up, 2-0, while the Keydet defense held strong to keep the Red Fox shots out of the net during the first quarter. Marist responded strongly in the second quarter, however, to score five goals while holding VMI scoreless to go into halftime with a 5-2 advantage over the Keydets.

A heavily contested third quarter saw the Keydets add three goals but the Red Foxes responded with their own attack to score four goals during the period. Barkley and seniors Cecilya Lundy and Bailey Huddleston notched the scores for VMI. Both teams yielded two goals in the fourth period for the match's final result.

Barkley finished the match with three goals to lead VMI while Noble pitched in two. Marist's first team All-MAAC and co-Offensive Player of the Year Amanda Amorosa paced the Red Foxes with three goals with Justine Castro and Nastassia McGlothlin each contributing two.

In a complete match, VMI freshman keeper Isabel French logged five saves and three steals in the loss. 

For all information regarding the 2017 MAAC Water Polo Championship, please visit maacsports.com/waterpolo.

Saturday, April 29
No. 1 Wagner 13,  No. 4 Iona 5
No. 2 Marist 11, No. 3 VMI  7

Sunday, April 30
Consolation Match - No. 3 VMI vs. No. 4 Iona – 12 p.m. - Live Streaming | Live Stats
Championship Match - No. 1 Wagner vs. No. 2 Marist– 2 p.m. - Live Streaming | Live Stats