EMMITSBURG, Md. (April 7, 2023) – Mount St. Mary's women's water polo made a strong argument in their case for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament in a few weeks. Facing the La Salle Explorers, the Mountaineers won 20-8, pulling to 5-5 in the conference standings and 13-9 overall.
 
A host of individual accolades helped secure the victory. Annefleur ten Bloemendal matched her own season high for goals with seven, and Heather Lock matched the total as well. The duo also created opportunities, drawing seven exclusions. Ana Luisa Cotta also crossed the hat trick threshold with four scores. In net, Pip Piper recorded 16 saves, stopping two-thirds of the shots on goal. Defense contributed extra possessions with eight steals.
 
Scoring came in a variety of ways, but most came on the 6v5. The Mount capitalized on seven of the 10 drawn exclusions they earned with goals. Steals helped in a major way too with four tallies on the counter attack.
 
Emily Van Kerckhove netted a shot at the conclusion of the first quarter to hand the Mount a 3-2 edge after the first quarter. The ensuing second period cemented the contest with nine goals. ten Bloemendal and Lock scored in the first minute to build momentum and a 5-0 run supplied in large measure by Lock compiled an insurmountable advantage. All of Lock's scores came in the first half.
 
Cotta and ten Bloemendal added insurance in the third quarter with two goals each, and the positive vibes continued into the fourth, allowing the Mount to win every eight minute frame. Rebecca Valentine added a score with 2:04 left to cap off the game.   
 
Mount St. Mary's challenges Villanova Saturday (Apr. 8), with a 4 p.m. start time.
 
Mount St. Mary's 20, La Salle 8
 
Team                 1    2    3    4
Mount St. Mary's     3    9    4    4
La Salle             2    3    1    2   
 
Goals: Lock 7, ten Bloemendal 7, Cotta 4, Valentine 1, Van Kerckhove 1
 
Saves: Piper 16