April 8, 2006

Grove City/Slippery Rock, Pa. - Mercyhurst won a pair of Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) matches Saturday at Grove City and Slippery Rock. The Lakers blanked the Wolverines 5-0 and outlasted The Rock 12-11. The Lakers are now 11-7-1 overall and 3-2 in the CWPA.

The 5-0 win was the first water polo shutout ever in the brief history of the men's and women's programs. Sophomore Gina Mieras made a dozen saves.

After a scoreless first period, Mercyhurst scored the second quarter's lone goal to take a 1-0 lead at intermission. The Lakers then broke the game open with three tallies in the third quarter before finishing the scoring with the fourth quarter's lone goal. Senior Cassie Rand led the way with three goals. Senior Tessa DiLoreto and sophomore Christine Somera had the other markers.

Mercyhurst: 0-1-3-1= 5
Grove City: 0-0-0-0= 0

Mercyhurst goals: Cassie Rand 3, Christine Somera, Tessa DiLoreto
Mercyhurst assists: Somera 3

The Lakers concluded play Saturday with a 12-11 nail-biter at Slippery Rock. The Lakers led 5-3 at halftime and 10-6 after three quarters before hanging on.

Mercyhurst: 2-3-5-2= 12
Slippery Rock: 2-1-3-5= 11

Mercyhurst goals: Cassie Rand 4, Christine Somera 4, Tessa DiLoreto 2, Christie Haibach, Carrie Willison
Mercyhurst assists: Willison 6, Rand 2, DiLoreto, Somera , Renee Sander, Kallen Dearnbarger

Mercyhurst will play another CWPA match Sunday against Washington & Jefferson at 3:00pm at the Mercyhurst North East Aquatic Center.