Women's water polo began the 2020 season with a win and loss in two games at the McKendree Invite February 1-2 at the McKendree Metro Rec-Plex in O'Fallon, Illinois. The Lions outlasted Wittenberg University 10-9 in double overtime on Saturday, but fell to the host Bearcats 14-6 Sunday morning.
In the first game of the weekend for Lindenwood, both teams traded goals in the opening quarter, but the Lions added three markers in the second quarter while only allowing one to make it 4-2 at halftime. Another solid quarter extended the Lindenwood lead to 7-3 after the third quarter, but Wittenberg rallied for five goals in the fourth, the tying score coming with just 20 seconds left in regulation, and the contest headed to overtime tied at eight. Both teams rattled the cage once in the extra session, forcing a second overtime, where the Lions scored the game-winner.
Sydney Walsh earned Player of the Game honors. The Lindenwood junior had two goals, one assist, eight steals, and drew one ejection. Other contributions came from
Isabella Boccia with three goals, three assists, one steal, and two ejections drawn,;
Paige Miller with three goals, two assists, one steal, and one ejection drawn;
Naomi Sanders with a goal, assist, four steals, and four ejections drawn; and
Nicole Howe with a goal and steal.
Betsy Zanocco made seven saves in goal and also had three steals.
The Lions stayed with McKendree through the first half in the second game of the weekend, but the Bearcats surged in the second half to pull away. It was 2-1 McKendree after the first quarter and 5-4 Bearcats after two quarters, but McKendree scored four in the third and another five in the fourth while holding Lindenwood to just two markers in the second half.
The Lions were led by juniors Miller and Zanocco who shared Player of the Game recognition for Lindenwood. Miller paced the Lions with three goals, two assists, and two ejections drawn while Zanocco had eight saves in goal and helped on a scoring play. Other contributions came from Sanders with a goal, an assist, and an ejection drawn; and Howe with a goal and assist.
Lindenwood begins the season with a record of 1-1. The Lions return to the pool for the first Collegiate Water Polo Association Midwest Division crossover tournament February 22-23 hosted by Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
