April 19, 2008

Stats

Grove City, Pa. - Behind five goals from senior Carrie Willison and four from Christine Somera and Rachel Griepsma, the Mercyhurst women's water polo team rolled past Washington & Jefferson by a 13-5 score Friday night and into the semifinals of the Collegiate Water Polo Association Western Division Championship.

The third-seeded Lakers advance to play second-seeded Indiana Saturday afternoon at 12:45 p.m., in Grove City, Pa.

All 13 of the Lakers' goals came from their trio of leading scorers. Willison's five goals was a season-high and she also tallied two assists, four steals and five drawn ejections.

Willison, Somera and Griepsma also accounted for all but two of the Lakers' points. Somera rang up nine points with four goals and five assists, bringing her season point total to 86, which is the fifth-best single season total in school history and will have an opportunity to jump Willison's 2006 total of 87 Saturday. Griepsma added an assist with her four goals, and she now has 68 goals on the season.

Mercyhurst routed Washington & Jefferson 15-4 in the first meeting of the season on March 8, and Friday's match-up was much of the same. The Lakers jumped on top 4-0 in the first period and cruised from there, scoring at least three goals in each of the remaining quarters.

Senior goalie Gina Mieras totaled 11 saves, one assist and one steal. Chrissy Becks added a game-high four steals.

The Lakers, now 13-5 face a stiff challenge in No. 17 Indiana Saturday with a first-ever berth to the tournament's championship game on the line. While the Lakers are winless all time against the Hoosiers, they played a tightly contested 11-7 game on April 5.

The first and second place teams at the championship earn automatic berths to the Eastern Championships.