Women's Water Polo | 2/7/2026 12:09:00 AM

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Water polo opened the season with a 18-9 win over Mount St. Mary's at VMI.

TURNING POINTS
Saint Francis created separation early with an offensive surge in the opening half, led by Lucy Willis, who finished the match 7-for-7 with seven goals. The Red Flash extended the lead with continued balanced scoring, as Alondra Torres added three goals on perfect shooting and Bella Castaneda and Caylah Olay each scored twice. Defensive pressure proved decisive, with Saint Francis drawing multiple exclusions, including four by Olay and three by Megan Marlin, allowing the Red Flash to control possession and momentum for the remainder of the match.

POOL HIGHLIGHTS
Lucy Willis delivered a standout performance, scoring a game-high seven goals on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting night. Torres added three goals on 100% shooting, as Saint Francis displayed offensive balance with eight different players scoring. The Red Flash offense was driven by strong ball movement, paced by Sofia Maioriello's five assists, while consistent pressure drew key exclusions. In goal, Victoria Tamarit recorded five saves to anchor the defensive effort.

FLASH NUGGETS
Five Red Flash players finished the match shooting 100% from the field: Lucy Willis, Alondra Torres, Lexanny Gonzalez, Sofia Maioriello and Sarah Hartwell.

Saint Francis totaled 17 assists, with contributions from Maioriello (5), Caylah Olay (4), Aubrey Miller (3), Bella Castaneda (2), Hartwell (2), and Victoria Tamarit (1).

Defensive pressure resulted in multiple exclusions drawn, with Olay (4), Megan Marlin (3) and Maioriello (2) leading the way.

Tamarit recorded five steals and Olay added three, while Torres, Maioriello, and Hartwell each contributed one, for a total of 11.

Torres, Marlin, Gonzalez, and Hartwell each registered a field block in the match.


ON DECK
Saint Francis will play VMI at 9 a.m. and Salem at 1 p.m. on February 7 in Lexington, Virginia for the second day of the VMI invite.