George Washington University Athletics
Women's Water Polo Closes Regular Season at Princeton
4/12/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Alana PonceFr. || 5-8 || UT
Gig Harbor, Wash.
Ponce continued her strong freshman season, tallying a team-high seven goals in four CWPA games last weekend. The Gig Harbor, Wash., native leads the Colonials in goals (49) and points (67) and ranks third in steals (31) and fifth in assists (18). She's twice been honored as CWPA Rookie of the Week and once as the conference's Player of the Week.
The Colonials (11-11, 1-3 CWPA) begin with a matchup against the host Tigers on Saturday at 11 a.m. before facing No. 19 Harvard in the nightcap at 6 p.m. On Sunday, they're set for another doubleheader with games against Bucknell (9 a.m.) and Brown (2 p.m.).
LAST TIME OUT: GW went 1-3 on its opening weekend of CWPA play at Harvard, finishing with a 10-1 win over Saint Francis (Pa.). All three of the Colonials' losses came against ranked foes.
In the victory, GW scored the first 10 goals and held the Red Flash scoreless until the game's final minute. Samantha Runyon set a career high with 11 saves in the victory. It was the fewest goals the program has allowed in a game in more than eight years.
Alana Ponce and Ally Jochim scored seven goals apiece on the weekend with Scarlett Hallahan adding three goals and a team-high seven assists.
DEFENSIVE WHIZ: Jacqueline Bywater entered the spring as GW's all-time steals leader and continues to pace the Buff and Blue defensively. The senior from California has a team-high 44 steals in 22 games to up her career total to 296. She also has 46 points this season on 25 goals and 21 assists.
Bywater's classmate Maggie Ball is second on GW's all-time list with 197 takeaways, while Hallahan (135) ranks just outside the program's career top-10 list.
SCOUTING PRINCETON: The 11th-ranked Tigers (17-7, 4-0) are the lone club still perfect in CWPA play. They knocked off three ranked foes last weekend, highlighted by an 8-7 win over then-No. 9 Michigan in sudden-death overtime on Sunday.
Princeton owns a pair of wins over GW earlier this season. The Tigers won in their home pool, 14-6, on Feb. 7 and in Foggy Bottom, 15-11, on Feb. 24.
SCOUTING HARVARD: The Crimson (15-14) dropped to 2-3 in CWPA action Wednesday night with a 10-8 overtime loss at Brown. Kristen Hong (89 points) is the team's top offensive threat.
This is a rematch of a game won by Harvard, 14-7, on March 25 in Loretto, Pa. Ponce, Jochim and Heck scored two goals apiece in that one, but the Colonials couldn't keep up with the Crimson.
SCOUTING BUCKNELL: The Bison (11-15, 1-3) enter the weekend tied with GW in the CWPA standings. Emily Konishi leads them in goals (35), assists (40) and steals (32).
These teams have already played a pair of tight contests this season with Bucknell taking the most recent meeting 8-7 in overtime on March 24.
SCOUTING BROWN: The Bears (14-14, 2-3) head into the weekend with momentum thanks to Wednesday's come-from-behind win over Harvard in overtime. Jessica Heilman has been a force on both ends with 59 points and 55 steals.
GW is seeking its first win in the series since 2012.
UP NEXT: GW has next weekend off to prepare for the three-day CWPA Championship, which will begin April 27 at Bucknell's Kinney Natatorium in Lewisburg, Pa.
WATCH THIS: Hear from head coach Barry King, Kira Bruno and Bywater ahead of the final weekend of the regular season.
Hear from Head Coach Barry King, Kira Bruno and Jacqueline Bywater ahead of our final weekend of the regular season! #RaiseHigh pic.twitter.com/WFgfklSlgk
-- GW Water Polo (@GW_WaterPolo) April 12, 2018
