For three quarters Friday night, the women’s water polo team matched 20th-ranked Marlyand nearly goal for goal. Down just 8-7 after three quarters, the Colonials were in a position to win their home opener against a local rival, but instead it was the Terrapins who seized control of the fourth quarter, scoring a pair of unanswered goals to put GW away and earn the 10-7 victory.
The Colonials (2-5) managed to keep pace with Maryland for most of the first quarter Friday before allowing the Terrapins to open up a 5-3 lead. GW scored the second quarter’s only goal to make the score 5-4 heading into halftime.
Both teams scored three goals in the third quarter and GW actually managed to pull even with Maryland with 17 seconds left in the third on junior Allison Peotter’s second goal of the game. The Terrapins responded with a goal of their own 6 seconds later though to retake the lead headed into the final period.
“We didn’t let up,” Peotter said. “We knew this was coming and we practiced it in practice.”
In the fourth quarter though, Maryland locked down on the Colonials defensively, keeping GW off the scoreboard. After three quarters that featured four ties and two lead changes, the Terrapins pulled away late, scoring twice in the final quarter to earn the win.
Colonials head coach Scott Reed said that while his team was well prepared for Friday’s game, the Terrapins were able to escape Foggy Bottom with a win thanks largely to their halftime adjustments.
In addition to Peotter’s two goals, juniors Monica Hanson and Megan Walker also each scored two goals, and freshman Katherine Berry added an additional goal in the third period. Peotter, Hanson and Walker share the title of top scorer of the season so far with 12 goals each. Senior goalie Charlotte Schou registered 11 saves on the night.
After falling Friday, the Colonials dropped two more games Saturday afternoon, falling to Hartwick 10-8 in the early game and Princeton 11-4 later that afternoon. Peotter was once again the top performer for the Colonials, scoring three goals against Hartwick.
The Colonials will be busy on the West Coast over spring break, beginning a week from Tuesday with a game against Cal State-Monterey Bay at 5:30 p.m. GW won’t be back in the Smith Center until March 25 when it faces Salem International at 7 p.m.
