Women's Water Polo | 2/20/2026 1:00:00 PM
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Red Flash will compete in three matches at the CWPA at Bucknell, facing Harvard and Mercyhurst on Saturday, followed by a matchup with Brown on Sunday.
THE WORD ON HARVARD
Harvard water polo remains undefeated at 9-0 after sweeping the Wildcat Invite this past weekend. The Crimson opened with a 16-11 win over Wagner, led by 14 saves from Orli Cooper, before defeating California Baptist 15-9 and Villanova 18-8 on Sunday. Maya O'Dea and Niki Piovan led the way offensively with a combined seven goals, while Heidi Heffelfinger and Sofia Del Villar added multiple assists. Harvard begins conference play at Bucknell this weekend.
LAST TIME WE MET THE CRIMSONS
Saint Francis last faced Harvard on April 7, 2025, falling 18-1. Despite the tough matchup,
Caylah Olay scored the Red Flash's lone goal, showing the team's determination to find the back of the net against a nationally ranked opponent.
THE WORD ON MERCYHURST
Mercyhurst enters the weekend with a 0-4 overall record after opening the 2026 season at the Michigan Invitational. The Lakers lost their doubleheader on February 14, falling 26-3 to Indiana and 14-6 to Mount St. Mary's, with Victoria Mastrangelo, Bri Allstun, Mercedes Feliciano-Fernandez, Marley Hanlon, and Bailey Dunn all recording goals. On February 15, Mercyhurst dropped 15-4 to Michigan and 23-4 to UC Davis. Saint Francis sophomore
Olivia George, will face her former team this weekend, having played her freshman season at Mercyhurst.
LAST TIME WE MET THE LAKERS
Saint Francis last faced Mercyhurst on April 26, 2025, during the CWPA Championship Tournament, earning a 16-11 victory. After the Lakers scored first,
Sofia Maioriello and
Caylah Olay notched early goals to take the lead. Late in the third quarter, Olay scored back-to-back goals to extend the Red Flash lead, and the team closed out the game with three unanswered goals. Olay led Saint Francis with seven goals and three steals.
THE WORD ON BROWN
Brown University enters the weekend with an 8-3 record after a productive four-game showing at the Bronco Invitational in Santa Clara. The Bears opened with a convincing win over Pacific, split Saturday contests against San Jose State and host Santa Clara, and closed the weekend with a victory over Cal State Monterey Bay. Brown showed offensive balance throughout the tournament, with Sofia Holman leading the attack and consistent contributions from Alexandra Love, Aubrie Anderson, Emmy Hensley and Madeleine Poissonnier, while Somto Okafo provided steady play in goal.
LAST TIME WE MET THE BEARS
Saint Francis last faced Brown University on April 27, 2025, in the fifth-place game of the CWPA Championships, falling 12-7. The Red Flash stayed within striking distance through three quarters, trailing by one entering the fourth, before Brown opened the final frame with three straight goals to pull away.
Sofia Maioriello,
Caylah Olay and
Megan Marlin accounted for three of Saint Francis' seven goals, while
Isabel Lumley recorded six saves in goal.
NEW TO THE LO'
Victoria Tamarit, a freshman from Valencia, Spain, brings international experience as a goalie.
Laura Knight, a freshman from Auckland, New Zealand, joins the team as a utility player with strong all-around skills.
Olivia George, a sophomore from Grand Blanc, Michigan, adds scoring depth and speed as an attacker.
Bella Castaneda, a sophomore from Brea, California, is a versatile utility player who can make an impact at multiple positions.
FLASH FOCUS
Caylah Olay is closing in on all-time program records, sitting second in career points (333) and goals (235) while also ranking second in career shots (544). This past weekend, Olay led the Red Flash offensively, scoring a combined 12 goals across the three games while drawing multiple ejections and contributing several steals.
Megan Marlin set a school record with seven steals in a single game against Villanova, highlighting her defensive impact for the Red Flash.
Sofia Maioriello added goals, assists, and steals, helping Saint Francis stay competitive in each matchup.
FROM THE DECK
Jay O'Neil enters his ninth season as head coach at Saint Francis and is now eight wins shy of 100 career victories with the Red Flash and four wins shy of 200 overall. He guided the team to a program-record 14 wins in 2025 and recently earned two wins on the road. Under his leadership, Saint Francis has twice finished a program-best fifth in the postseason, in 2022 and 2024. A Bucknell graduate, O'Neil came to Loretto from Washington & Jefferson, where he earned CWPA Women's Coach of the Year honors in 2012, and also spent 10 years as aquatic director and head varsity swimming coach at Somerset Area High School. The Red Flash are back at Bucknell this weekend, giving O'Neil another opportunity to coach at his alma mater.
NEXT SPLASH
The Red Flash return to Lewisburg, Pa., for the CWPA at Bucknell on Feb. 21–22. Saint Francis will face Harvard and Mercyhurst on Saturday and Brown on Sunday at Kinney Natatorium.
All games will be streamed live on the Bucknell Athletics YouTube page.
