LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI Water Polo Team opened its 2025 season on Friday evening at the VMI Aquatic Center, holding on for a 13-12 win over the Toronto Varsity Blues, giving the Keydets their first season-opening win since 2020.
Coming off a 13-0 fall in which they claimed the National Collegiate Water Polo gold on December 1, the Varsity Blues gave VMI all they could handle, but the Keydets would get a key save from
Ysabel Casillas late to help secure the win.
Key Stats
- First season-opening win since 2020
- Keydets edge Varsity Blues 27-24 in shots
-
Sarah Fitzsimmons,
Sadie Smith lead the way with three goals each
-
Courtney Novotny,
Makynna Smith,
Sydney Smith each net two
-
Maddie Day,
Ysabel Casillas combine for 12 saves
How it Happened
First Half
-
Sadie Smith would record the first goal of the 2025 season at the 5:15 mark (1-0, VMI)
- After Toronto evens the score,
Makynna Smith netted her first collegiate goal, followed by scores for
Sarah Fitzsimmons and
Sydney Smith (4-1, 2
nd at 6:26)
-
Sadie Smith,
Makynna Smith and
Courtney Novotny would strike to give the Keydets an 8-4 advantage at the half
Second Half
-
Julia Ward found
Hollie Sauceda with a razzle-dazzle effort for her first collegiate goal to open the third
- After the teams traded goals going into the fourth, the Varsity Blues would mount a comeback, scoring three of the first four goals to cut the deficit to two
-
Sarah Fitzsimmons would give VMI an insurance goal (13-10), but Toronto cut the lead to 1 with one minute to play
- As Toronto looked to equalize,
Ysabel Casillas came up with a huge save with less than 30 seconds to play, clinching the victory for the Keydets
What's On Deck
January 31 vs. Toronto – W, 13-12
February 1 vs. Gannon – Noon
February 1 vs. McKendree – 4:40 PM
February 2 vs. Austin College – Noon
