Video Highlights & Interviews
Location: Erie, Pa. | Carneval Athletic Pavilion
Score: at Gannon 16, Penn State-Behrend 4
Records: Gannon (2-8), Penn State-Behrend (6-13)
The Short Story: The Gannon women's water polo team captured its second straight victory, defeating crosstown opponent Penn State-Behrend, 16-4, Thursday evening at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion Pool. The Lady Knights tallied eight goals in the second quarter to seal the win over the Lions. Ten different Lady Knights scored in the match with freshman
Alison Cooney (Erie, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy) leading the team's offensive attack with three goals. Sophomore
Emily Rodriguez (Erie, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy) recorded 11 blocks in the win.
SCORES BY QUARTER (1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - TOTAL)Gannon (4 - 8 - 2 - 2 - 16)
Penn State-Behrend (2 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 4)
HOW IT HAPPENED- Gannon struck first just over a minute into the match as Cooney gave the Lady Knights a 1-0 lead with her first goal of the evening. Penn State-Behrend answered with back-to-back goals to erase the Lady Knights' lead, 2-1.
- The Lady Knights scored the next three goals. Freshman
Francesca Williamson (Chicago, Ill. / Mother McAuley Liberal Arts) tied the game at 2-2 over a minute later. Freshman
Liz Barr (Honolulu, Hawaii / 'Iolani School) broke the knotted match in the closing two minutes before fellow freshman
Kristi Howe (New Lenox, Ill. / Lincoln Way Central) extended the Lady Knights' lead to 4-2 with four seconds remaining in the opening quarter.
- The Lions scored in the opening 22 seconds of the second quarter to pull to within one of the Lady Knights, 4-3. Following the Lions' tally, GU erupted for eight unanswered goals to push its advantage to 12-4 at the break.
- Cooney got the Lady Knights rolling with her second of the day. Williamson and Cooney struck just 31 seconds a part in the fifth minute of the second quarter to extend GU's lead to 7-3. Consecutive goals from junior
Rachel Bednarek (Windermere, Fla. / Olympia) put the Lady Knights' advantage to 9-3. With just under three minutes remaining. Freshman
Grace Villano (Schnecksville, Pa. / Parkland), freshman
Abby Quinn (McKean, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy) and Howe closed the Lady Knights' eight-goal second quarter.
- Gannon scored the only two goals in the opening two minutes of the third quarter to push their lead to 14-3 with goals from freshman
Samantha McGregor (Erie, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy) and sophomore
Christine Uht (Erie, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy).
- Senior
Janelle McDaniels (Edwardsville, Pa. / Wyoming Valley West) scored a goal in the first minute of the final quarter for a 16-3 GU lead. Thirty seconds later, the Lions answered back. Villano concluded the Lady Knights' scoring with just 12 seconds left in the match to seal the team's 16-4 victory.
MATCH NOTES- Cooney led the Lady Knights' scoring with three goals. Bednarek, Howe,
Grace Villano and Williamson each scored two goals each.
- Ten different Lady Knights scored a goal.
- Barr and Quinn shared the team lead with three assists each.
-
Emily Rodriguez recorded 11 blocks to capture her second win of the season.
- Collectively, the Lady Knights recorded 24 steals. Barr, McDaniels and freshman
Lizzie Rodriguez (Erie, Pa. / Villa Maria Academy) each posted three steals.
- The match marked the first at home for the Lady Knights since April 8, 2013, due to renovations to the Recreation and Wellness Center.
GANNON GOALS (16)Alison Cooney (3)
Rachel Bednarek (2)
Kristi Howe (2)
Grace Villano (2)
Francesca Williamson (2)
Liz Barr (1)
Janelle McDaniels (1)
Samantha McGregor (1)
Abby Quinn (1)
Christine Uht (1)
GANNON BLOCKS (11)Emily Rodriguez (11)
UP NEXTGannon returns to action at the Carneval Athletic Pavilion as the Lady Knights host the Gannon Tournament April 10-11. The four-team tournament will include Hartwick, Bucknell and rival Mercyhurst. The Lady Knights open the two-day event against the rival Lakers April 10, at 7:30 p.m.
