Staten Island, N.Y. – Villanova Water Polo dropped two tight games in MAAC play today. The first came against Marist and the second against VMI.

Marist
The Wildcats suffered their first conference loss on Saturday as they fell to Marist 11-8.

Kaysie Stuba got the Wildcats on the board three minutes into the game on an assist from Malia Gacutan, but Marist would tie the game a minute later. The Red Foxes would head into the second quarter with a 4-2 lead.

Marist would score first and extend their lead, before Stuba scored her third goal of the game and cut it once again to two. Maria Breen would score to make it a 6-4 game with one-minute left in the first half, but Marist would once again answer back and the Wildcats would be trailing 7-4 at half.

Kate Murray scored first in the second half, but Marist once again had an answer and scored the next two goals. Charlotte Curran scored with two seconds left in the third quarter as Villanova headed into the fourth quarter down 9-6.

Curran and Camille Oswald would both score in the fourth, but it was not enough as Marist would win the game 11-8.

Rachel Jennings started in net for Villanova and had five saves while allowing 11 goals which was good for a .313 average.

VMI
Amanda Rice got the Cats on the board first just over two minutes into the game, but it was not enough as they fell to VMI 8-7.

VMI would rally off the next four goals before Curran ended the Villanova goal drought, but VMI would score 30 seconds later to make it a 5-2 game. They would then extend their lead to 7-2 before Stuba scored with 3:45 left in the third. She would then score again, followed by Curran to cut the lead to two.

However, VMI would score to make the game 8-5 with 2:57 left in the game. The late rally would come up just short as Kate Stenmoen scored with 1:34 left and Murray would score with 40 seconds left, but they could not net one more.

The Wildcats will be back in action tomorrow as they take on La Salle at noon, and Wagner at 4:30.