VILLANOVA, Pa.—After rallying to tie the score on two separate occasions in the second quarter, Villanova (5-3, 1-1 MAAC) saw the tables turned as LIU (2-0, 2-0 MAAC) scored three times in the final 1:12 of the half and went on to a 16-12 victory at the Villanova Swim Complex on Saturday evening. The loss was the first in conference play for the Wildcats this season and ended a three-game winning streak.
 
Freshman attacker Sydney Bianchi (Menlo Park, Calif.) led Villanova with a season-high six goals to go along with a steal and a block. Junior utility Isabel Herbst (Glenbrook, Ill.) played well at center for the Wildcats and finished the night with four goals and a steal. Bianchi scored one of her goals on a power play with an assist from freshman attacker Kimora Farry (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Villanova went 1-of-2 on 6-v-5 chances on the night. Sophomore attackers Joia McKinney (Chicago, Ill.) and Lauren Picard (Darien, Conn.) add one goal apiece for the Wildcats offense.
 
Villanova scored the game's first goal just 16 seconds into the contest and peppered the Sharks goal with four shots in the first 2:36 of the first quarter. Both teams recorded shots on goal which were saved with just under five minutes to play in the opening period, but a quick goal by LIU evened the score at 1-1 with 4:24 to play in the quarter. Two more goals just 37 seconds apart later in the period put the Wildcats into a 3-1 hole, but the Wildcats barely beat the first quarter buzzer and scored with five seconds on the clock to get back to within one at the end of the period.
 
A goal by Villanova with 5:44 to play in the second quarter knotted the score at 3-3, but the Sharks had a quick answer and scored with 5:23 on the clock to go back in front. After the teams traded scoring chances over the next several minutes, the Wildcats tied the score again at 6-6 with 1:35 left in the half. Another quick answer by LIU gave the visitors the lead for good though, as a Sharks goal with 1:12 to play was followed by two more scores with 45 seconds to play and 16 seconds left. A final shot by Villanova was saved with seven seconds remaining in the period.
 
The teams traded goals early in the third quarter and the Wildcats trailed 10-7 with 6:41 left in the period, but from there LIU scored four unanswered goals and stretched the lead to 14-7 with less than three minutes remaining. Villanova stopped the surge with a goal of its own with 40 seconds to play in the quarter, only to have the Sharks counter with 11 seconds left.
 
Neither team scored for a span of almost five minutes at the start of the fourth quarter as the Wildcats defense began to clamp down on LIU's scoring chances. Villanova trailed 16-10 with 2:13 left before netting the final two goals of the game with 1:18 remaining and 25 seconds to play.
 
Freshman attacker Stella Byles (Portland, Ore.) had four steals and junior center defender Amanda Rice (San Jose, Calif.) added two takeaways on the night. Sophomore utility Emily Morrissey (Ambler, Pa.) made her second straight start in goal as a result of team injuries and had a strong game with seven saves.
 
Villanova had won each of its last three games against Gannon, Mount St. Mary's and VMI since a loss to Salem on March 13. Next up for the Wildcats is another MAAC contest against local rival La Salle next Saturday at 1 p.m.