March 10, 2008

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - The Villanova water polo team (1-12) headed to the West Coast during Spring Break and played in tournaments hosted by Cal Lutheran and Cal Baptist. In all, the Wildcats played five matches against local teams during the trip. The matches represented a homecoming for Villanova freshmen Nicole Lum (Roseville, Calif.) and Maria Apablasa (Sherman Oaks, Calif.).

UC Santa Cruz 11, Villanova 6 (Cal Lutheran Invitational)

The six Villanova goals came from five different players and freshman Kathleen Maloney (Chicago, Ill.) was the lone Wildcat to register two scoring tallies. Apablasa had two assists and drew two ejections, while Maloney and freshman Jennifer Lynch (Lower Gwynedd, Pa.) each had two steals.

Each team scored a goal in the first quarter and UC Santa Cruz led 3-1 at halftime. After both sides tallied three goals in the third period, the Wildcats surrendered five goals in the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach.

Cal Lutheran 18, Villanova 5

Senior Carla Martinez (Caguas, Puerto Rico) scored a season high three goals for the Wildcats, but Villanova outscored 10-1 between the second and third periods of the match. Apablasa added two assist, two steals and three drawn ejections, while senior goalie Erin Foley (Chicago, Ill.) had six saves. Lum and Maloney also scored one goal apiece for the Wildcats.

Cal Baptist 15, Villanova 4

Villanova registered 19 shots in the game but did not score in the second half as the host Lancers pulled away from an 8-4 halftime deficit. Maloney and Apablasa registered two goals apiece for the Wildcats. Apablasa and senior Julie Ramaley (Old Greenwich, Conn.) each drew three ejections, while Ramaley led the team with four shots taken in the match.

Villanova trailed 2-1 at the end of the closely-contested first quarter. Cal Baptist scored six times in the second period while the Wildcats netted three goals in the frame. The Lancers added three goals in the third quarter and four in the final period.

Fresno Pacific 10, Villanova 9 (3OT) (Cal Baptist Lancer Invite)

The most exciting of Villanova's matches out West came in an overtime contest against Fresno Pacific which advanced to sudden victory play after two overtime periods could not separate the two teams. The Wildcats rallied late just to send the game to extra time after trailing throughout much of the match.

Fresno Pacific opened the scoring with a goal in the first quarter and then led 3-1 at halftime and 6-4 at the end of the third quarter. In the final period of regulation, Villanova scored three straight goals to take its first lead of the game, 7-6, with 2:21 remaining. However, a score by Fresno Pacific with 57 seconds to play knotted the score at 7-7.

Neither team scored in the first overtime period but Fresno Pacific regained the lead with a tally with 2:18 left in the second overtime. Villanova would tie and retake the lead itself on goals with 1:29 remaining and then with 34 seconds to play. However, Fresno Pacific beat the buzzer with three seconds to play and tied the score at 9-9. The game-winning goal for Fresno Pacific came at the 2:32 mark of the first sudden death period.

Maloney scored three goals to lead the Wildcats, who received goals from six different players. Lum added two goals while Lynch and Apablasa each had one goal and one assist. In the fourth quarter, Apablasa scored the game-tying goal that made the score 6-6 and Martinez notched her lone goal of the game moments later to provide the 7-6 lead.

In overtime, Lum scored the game-tying goal to make the score 8-8 and Maloney provided the Wildcats their final lead of the contest at 9-8. Villanova owned a 28-14 shot advantage in the contest.

Cal State Monterey Bay 9, Villanova 3 (Cal Lutheran Invitational)

In its fifth match in a three-day span, Villanova was defeated by Cal State Monterey Bay. Maloney, Apablasa and Ramaley all scored goals for the Wildcats and Martinez had two assists. In goal, Foley had seven saves and four steals and Villanova totaled nine takeaways in the game.

The Wildcats trailed 2-0 at the end of the first quarter and Cal State Monterey Bay stretched its lead to 5-2 at halftime before outscoring Villanova 4-1 in the second half.

Up Next

Villanova returns to action with a home tournament on March 29-30.