Seahawks Win 2007 MAAC Women's Water Polo Championship :: Stacey Travous Named Most Outstanding Performer

No. 8 Wagner will face No. 1 Stanford in the First Round (story)

April 29, 2007

Poughkeepsie, NY - Wagner senior Stacey Travous (New Ulm, MN / Cumberland Valley (PA) was named Most Outstanding Performer as she helped lead second-seeded Wagner College to an 8-7 win over top-seeded Marist College in the 2007 MAAC Women's Water Polo Championship Game, held at Marist's McCann Natatorium.

The Seahawks earned the league's automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Division I Women's Water Polo Championship. The NCAA bracket will announced on Monday, April 30 between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m., live on CSTV.

The Seahawks avenged a defeat to the Red Foxes in the 2006 title game as well as three prior losses this season.

Wagner (17-14) fell down early to Marist by a count of 1-0 just 27 seconds into the game, but the Seahawks retaliated with a goal by junior Billy Hoelck (San Diego, CA/U. of San Diego HS) to tie the score at one. Marist countered with a score at the 2:43 mark but the Seahawks were there to answer as Hoelck took a feed from Camille Karimzad (Walnut Creek, CA/Campolindo) on a man up scenario to even the score at two headed to the second period.

The second quarter was a defensive stalemate as just two goals were scored, one by Marist, and one by Hoelck and the decisive title game moved to halftime knotted up at three. The Seahawks came out of the half fired up as they ripped off four straight goals. Hoelck would tally her fourth and fifth goals of the game in that spurt and was joined by scores from Corrine Travous (New Ulm, MN/Cumberland Valley) and Alexandra Tomlinson (Telford, PA/Souderton) and Wagner was in control at 7-3 with 3:09 remaining in the third period.

Marist would not give up just yet as the Red Foxes found the back of the net late in the third quarter to bring the deficit to three. Wagner opened the fourth quarter with great success when Stacey Travous (New Ulm, MN/Cumberland Valley) drew a five meter penalty and Tomlinson converted the shot to build a Seahawk lead of 8-4.

The Foxes would make things quite interesting as over the final 4:15 in the fourth quarter they scored three consecutive goals to make the score 8-7. However, Wagner was able to run out the clock and preserve the victory and claim their third MAAC Tournament Championship in school history. Senior Katie Hauck (Pottsville, PA/Pottsville) turned in a instant classic recording 17 saves and blocking a crucial five meter penalty shot in the victory.

Joining Travous on the All-Tournament Team are teammates Hauck and Hoelck, along with Marist's Elizabeth Davis and Katelin McCahill, Iona College's Amanda Brucia and Villanova University's Carla Martinez.

Recap: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final Wagner 2 1 4 1 8 Marist 2 1 1 3 7

Goals: Wagner - Billy Hoelck 5, Alexandra Tomlinson 2, Cori Travous 1 Marist - Katelin McCahill 4, Kari Weston 1, Hilary Schroeder 1, Samantha Swartz Ejections: Marist 6, Wagner 5

The 2007 MAAC Water Polo Champions!