VILLANOVA, Pa. – Villanova Women's Water Polo returns home for two matches and Alumni Day tomorrow, Saturday, March 8, against the Toronto Golden Jets and Salem University.
WILDCAT REWIND
The 'Cats have returned from a five-game stretch out in California where they went 4-1, including a sweep of the Convergence Tournament.
Freshman attacker
Layla Canales found the back of the net 13 times and also had four assists on the West Coast. Three of those goals came on 5M attempts. She recorded six steals and three field blocks on defense. Canales also drew an exclusion.
This performance led to her being named the MAAC Freshman of the Week, her first career weekly honor.
GLIMPSE AT THE GOLDEN JETS
The Toronto Golden Jets will be the team that the Wildcats face off against first, at 9:00 A.M. EST.
They are coached by Evan Price, the current coach of the defending national champion University of Toronto and former Olympian and Canadian National Team coach George Gross Jr.
This is the first season of their existence, where they play an NCAA schedule with a team made up of students from UToronto.
Recently, like the Wildcats, they also competed in California, where they played 12 games. Finishing with a 2-5, including a close contest against then No. 14, Loyola Marymount University.
They defeated California Lutheran, UC Merced, and Occidental College, playing to a 3-7 record from available records.
Villanova is 2-3 all-time against teams hailing from Canada. They are 2-0 against the University of Toronto, but 0-3 against the Club Aquatique de Montreal.
SCOUTING SALEM
The Tigers are a very familiar opponent to the Wildcats, having already faced them this season, as well as 18 other times in the program's history.
The last time the two teams faced off, the Wildcats set a season high in goals, which still stands today at 19, in their 11-goal victory at the Bruno Classic.
Salem is 4-10 this season, two of those wins coming against other teams Villanova has beaten, in Iona and Siena.
The Wildcats are on a three-game win streak against Salem and defeated them at home in a 20-8 victory last season for the first time since 2000.
FAST FACTS
Emily McKenzie has scored 13 goals in four career games against Salem.
Michael Gordon holds a 13-1 career record at Villanova Swim Complex and has the chance to tie for third all-time in program history for home wins with a sweep tomorrow with Damon Newman and will only need one more to move into second.
Junior utility
Sara Withers needs five assists to become the seventh in program history to reach the century mark.
WATCH
Both games will be streamed through FloSwimming. Links can be found in the 2025 Women's Water Polo Schedule.
ALUMNI DAY
After the game against Salem, the team will be hosting Alumni Day with a team and alumni luncheon in the O'Dea Terrace Lounge, followed by the match against the Tigers, and finally the alumni game.
SOCIAL
For all the latest updates surrounding the program, follow Villanova Water Polo on Instagram @novawaterpolo and X (formerly Twitter) @nova_waterpolo.
