Brown University Women's Water Polo Beats St. Francis (Pa.), 12-4, Falls to No. 13 Indiana, 9-4

Recap, photo courtesy of Brown University

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University women's water polo defeated Saint Francis University (Pa.), 12-4, and fell to No. 13 Indiana University, 9-4, in a pair of Collegiate Water Polo Association games at the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center on Friday.

In their first home games since Feb. 4, the Bears (12-13, 1-2 CWPA) jumped out to an 8-2 halftime lead in their victory over the Red Flash (12-10, 0-2 CWPA) after dropping the decision to the Hoosiers (21-6, 2-2 CWPA) in their first league home game of the season.

Between the two games, senior goalkeeper Marisol Dakan (Pasadena, Calif.) blocked 19 shots while fellow senior Jessica Heilman (Menlo Park, Calif.) scored five goals against Saint Francis. Junior McKenna Miller (Danville, Calif.) netted four goals on the day.

Next, Brown plays No. 9 Michigan at Harvard tomorrow, Saturday, Apr. 7, at 11:30 a.m. before hosting Connecticut College on Sunday, Apr. 8, at noon.

Game 1 – No. 13 Indiana 9, Brown 4

Junior McKenna Miller tallied four points on two goals and two assists, but Brown fell to No. 13 Indiana, 9-4, on Friday afternoon in its first game of the day.

The Bears remained within 5-2 with under two minutes to play in the first half before the Hoosiers scored three straight goals, completing a 6-0 run to bring an 8-2 lead into the fourth quarter.

Miller (Danville, Calif.) totaled seven ejections drawn and three steals alongside her two goals and two assists. Junior Maigrie McDougal (Sacramento, Calif.) posted a goal and two steals.

Senior Jessica Heilman (Menlo Park, Calif.) registered an assist and three steals, and junior Carmen Rosas (Schaumburg, Ill.) netted one goal.

In the cage, senior goalie Marisol Dakan (Pasadena, Calif.) blocked nine shots.

After the Hoosiers opened the game with a 2-0 lead, Miller scored back-to-back goals to tie the score at 2-2 with 4:32 left in the first quarter. She netted both of her goals on the power play, scoring on the left wing off a feed from Heilman on the first goal before converting from the point on the second marker.

Indiana scored the last two goals of the first quarter to gain a 4-2 lead at the end of one and notched the only three goals of the second stanza to pull ahead 7-2 at halftime. The visitors scored once in the third frame to carry an 8-2 advantage into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, McDougal scored on a one-timed shot off an assist from Miller on a 6-on-5 to cut the deficit to 8-3 with 6:39 remaining. Following an Indiana goal, Rosas closed the game's scoring, converting from five meters off a pass from Miller at the 4:54 mark. 

Indiana 9, Brown 4Brown....................... 2…0…0…2…4
Indiana..................... 4…3…1…1…9
Brown Goals: Miller 2, McDougal, Rosas.
Brown Saves: Dakan 9.

Game 2 – Brown 12, St. Francis (Pa.) 4

Senior Jessica Heilman scored five goals, and fellow senior Marisol Dakan made 10 saves as Brown defeated Saint Francis (Pa.), 12-4, on Friday night in its second game of the day.

The Bears staked themselves to an 8-2 lead over the Red Flash at halftime and gained an edge as large as nine goals at 12-3 late in the fourth quarter.

The Bears celebrated Senior Night as part of the contest, recognizing Dakan (Pasadena, Calif.) and Heilman (Menlo Park, Calif.) for their hard work and dedication to the program over the last four years.

Junior McKenna Miller (Danville, Calif.) compiled two goals, two steals, and two ejections drawn while freshman Carissa Perez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) finished with two goals, two assists, three steals, two field blocks, and two ejections drawn.

Freshman Alli Schaum (San Rafael, Calif.) registered a goal and two steals, and junior Carmen Rosas (Schaumburg, Ill.) and sophomore Lexi Atwell(La Jolla, Calif.) each netted one goal.

Dakan limited Saint Francis to just two goals over the final three quarters.

After the Red Flash scored the game's opening goal, Brown used a 4-0 run to pull ahead 4-1. Heilman started the streak with back-to-back goals and closed the burst with her third goal of the game while Perez netted a goal on a skip shot. A tally from Rosas from the right wing gave Brown a 5-2 lead at the end of the first period.

The hosts scored all three of the second quarter's goals to claim an 8-2 advantage at the intermission. Miller started the quarter's scoring with a skip shot before Schaum converted from five meters, and Atwell deposited a goal in transition.

The two teams each scored once in the third frame with a goal from Perez from the right wing keeping Brown ahead 9-3. 

In the final frame, Miller connected on a 5-meter penalty shot prior to Heilman netting consecutive goals on lob shots to give the Bears a 12-3 lead with 1:12 remaining. Saint Francis scored the contest's final marker with 38 seconds left.

Brown 12, St. Francis (Pa.) 4Brown....................... 5…3…1…3…12
St. Francis (Pa.)...... 2…0…1…1…4
Brown Goals: Heilman 5, Miller 2, Perez 2, Atwell, Rosas, Schaum.
Brown Saves: Dakan 10.