This weekend, the Villanova women’s water polo team swept the Bucknell Invite, going 3-0 while on the road in Lewisburg, PA.
The sweep gives the Wildcats (7-4) their longest win streak of the season of 3 games, after defeating Occidental College (0-7), Saint Francis University (2-4) and Siena College (3-6).
In Villanova’s first matchup of the weekend, the ‘Cats defeated Occidental, 25-8. The 25 goal performance marked a season-high in goals scored, falling only one short of the program-best of 26 points against Penn State Behrend in February 2019.
Senior center Ella Mattocks led the team with six goals. Sophomore attacker Riley Hull followed, scoring 4 goals, which pushed her past the 100 career goals mark.
Head coach Michael Gordon described Hull as a “fireplug,” saying how other teams will adjust their gameplans around her.
Freshman center Annika Wise, junior attacker Emmie Mallory, and freshman utility Tessa Pettit scored three goals a piece. Junior attacker Tippy Maguire and senior attacker Anna Painter scored 2 goals each. Senior attacker Isabel Foley completed the scorers circle with one goal.
The Wildcats got off to a hot start, leading 16-3 by the end of the first half.
Coming out of halftime, the team kept momentum, outscoring the Tigers, 9-5, in the second half for a final score of 25-8.
Defensively, Villanova collected 17 steals, marking the highest number of steals this season.
“They didn’t have good shots; we just kept tipping them away,” Gordon said. “The defensive stops will keep turning into offensive opportunities.”
The Wildcats also tallied 21 assists against Occidental, totalling 46 points earned in the game. The 46 points set a new record for points earned in a game. Previously, the highest number of points that the Wildcats had earned in a single game was 44.
Following the morning match, Villanova faced St.Francis in the evening of Feb. 14, where it defeated the Red Flash, 16-11.
Hull and sophomore attacker Layla Canales rallied the offensive effort, scoring four goals each. Painter followed, tallying three goals against St. Francis.
Following the game’s swim-off, St. Francis took control, outscoring the Wildcats, 8-4, in the first half.
The Wildcats found momentum in the second half, scoring 7 goals in the third quarter to take the lead, 11-10.
Villanova found five more goals before the final whistle, ending the game, 16-11.
“We came out flat on defense,” Gordon said. “I was really glad we stopped the bleeding in the first half. If they kept that momentum it would’ve been nearly impossible to catch up to them.”
The Wildcats won their final match of the invite on Sunday, Feb. 15, defeating Siena College, 17-12.
Mallory led the Wildcats with five goals, followed by Canales and Hull, who both scored four. Mattocks tallied two goals and senior utility Sara Withers and Pettit closed the scoresheet, scoring one goal each.
The game started slow for Villanova as it went down 6-1, before scoring twice in the final minute of the first quarter, bringing the game to, 6-3.
In the second quarter, Villanova found the equalizer, ending the half, 9-9.
Villanova brought an offensive onslaught in the second half, outscoring Siena 8-3.
When asked about the difference throughout the game, Gordon emphasized “staying levelheaded” and “showing resilience” against these teams that he knows the Wildcats can beat.
Villanova will take on No.15 Princeton University (9-0), returning to the Villanova Swim Complex on Thursday Feb. 19.
“Good teams will eat up our mistakes, and we need to put the pressure on them defensively,” Gordon said about the team’s upcoming game against Princeton. “[We need] to come out tough and match their physicality.”
Thursday’s game will be the teams’ first meeting in two years. In their last face off, the Tigers defeated the Wildcats, 18-7. Swim-off is set for 7 p.m.
