LEXINGTON, Va. — The Villanova women's water polo team defeated Iona and Mt. St. Mary's as the team closed the regular season. 

Against the Gaels (8-18, 1-7 MAAC), the 'Cats (20-8, 7-1) clinched the two-seed in April's MAAC Championship Tournament. 

The win also marked the third consecutive year in the Michael Gordon era that the team has won 20 games. 

Villanova 13, Iona 12

Villanova started the day with a 13-12 win over Iona. 

Layla Canales and Emmie Mallory led VU in with a hat-trick each, followed by Riley Hull and Ella Mattocks with two goals. Coco Jones, Anna Painter and Tessa Pettit rounded out the scoring, all scoring one.

Canales, Jones and Isabel Foley assisted three and Tippy Maguire assisted one. 

Painter had three steals, Foley and Hull picked up two and Sara Withers and Canales both had one. 

Hull drew three exclusions and Annika Wise, Mattocks, Canales and Tessa Petitt drew one.

Jones and Mallory led the team with two field blocks, followed by Withers, Mattocks and Pettit with one each. 

The 'Cats led 3-1 after the first quarter courtesy of two goals from Canales and a Mallory goal.

Mattocks, Pettit and Hull each found the net in the second quarter — Hull twice — as VU took a 7-3 lead into the break. 

Villanova scored six in the third via Mattocks, Jones, Painter, Mallory and Canales goals, but the Gaels scored five to close the deficit to 13-9. 

Going scoreless in the fourth quarter, the 'Cats bent, but didn't break as Iona scored three unanswered, but fell short to give VU the win. 

Gracin Kerry played every quarter in net, saving 9 in 21 attempts. 

Villanova 16, Mt. St. Mary's 9

In their final game of the regular season, the 'Cats defeated the Mountaineers (8-14, 3-5) 16-9. 

Mattocks scored four, Hull and Withers scored three, Canales scored twice and Catharine McCann, Charlotte Summe and Emmie Mallory each scored one. 

Maguire and Painter both had three assists, Canales and Hull assisted two and Withers picked up one. 

Villanova's defense was prolific in the passing game, picking up 10 steals. The 'Cats were led by Hull with three, who was followed by Withers and Painter with two. Canales, Foley, Wise and Mallory rounded out the Villanova steals on the day with one each. 

Mattocks drew four exclusions, Wise drew three and Canales, Withers and Hull all drew one. 

Hull, Withers and Mallory scored in the first quarter as Mt. St. Mary's kept it close at 3-3. 

VU took the lead heading into half after Canales, Painter, Hull and Pettit to make it 7-6. 

The 'Cats scored five in the third quarter on Mattocks, Canales and Hull goals.

Leading 11-9, Villanova put the game away in the fourth quarter with three goals via Mattocks, Summe and McCann. The 'Cats shutout the Mountaineers in the final period. 

Kerry played the first quarter, saving two before making way for Rachel Stephens for a majority of the contest. 

Stephens saved seven in 12 attempts, picking up a five-meter save and a steal. 

Reia Kimi entered late, saving two. 

Up Next

Villanova will be the No. 2 seed at the MAAC Championship Tournament April 11, taking on No. 3 seed Wagner. The 'Cats beat the Seahawks 15-14 in overtime when the two played March 14.