Women's Water Polo

Water Polo Improves to 6-1; Hawks Off to Best Start in Program History

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Hartwick's water polo team won its fifth and sixth game of the young season in the last 24 hours to improve to 6-1 on the year. It marks the best start for the Hawks in program history. The previous best start to a 'Wick season after seven games came in 2007 when the Hawks began the year 4-3. Last night, Hartwick defeated Fresno Pacific (NAIA) 14-8. Today, the Hawks got back to Cal-Bakersfield Roadrunner Invitational play with a 14-10 victory over Cal-State East Bay.

Against FPU, 11 different Hawks registered at least a goal in the six-goal win. After a 3-3 score at the end of the first quarter, Hartwick pulled away from the Sunbirds in the second stanza outscoring them by a 4-0 margin. The Hawks scored seven goals to FPU's five in the second half for the final 14-8 score.

Jessica McKee (Tustin, CA/Laguna Beach), Lisa Bass (Montreal, Quebec/Lindsay Place), and Sasha Freeborn (Auckland, New Zealand/Westlake Girls College) tallied twice in the game to lead the Hawks.

Christina Evans (Cedar Hills, UT/Lone Peak), Shannon Leonard (Pointe Clair, Quebec/John Rennie), Adrienne Holosko (Windsor, Ontario/Vincent Massey), Kirsten Hudson (Wellington, New Zealand/Sacred Heart), Allyssa Analytis (Montreal, Quebec/Sacred Heart), Lily Martinez (Commerce, CA/Montebello), Hanneke Alfernink (Nijverdal, Netherlands/Univ. of Groningen), and Martina Shorkey (Hollywood, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas) each tallied once.

Jess Dorman (Auckland, New Zealand/Diocesan) and Hayley Cox (El Segundo, CA/El Segundo) split time in the Hartwick goal. Dorman played the first half making five saves. Cox stopped two Sunbird shots in the second half.

Today against East Bay, the Hawks shook off the pesky Pioneers in the third quarter to break open a tight game. Hartwick led 8-7 with one second left in the second quarter before Alfernink gave Hartwick some breathing room with a goal. In the third quarter, 'Wick opened up a six-goal lead en route to the 14-10 win.

Siann Ells-Tewhiu (Wellington, New Zealand/Queen Margaret College) led Hartwick in scoring with four goals, including three in the big third quarter. Evans and Analytis each scored three first-quarter goals and McKee added two. Dorman made seven stops and registered three assists.

The Hawks, who are 2-0 at the Roadrunner Invitational, play Pacific later this evening.