Feb. 13, 2005

PRINCETON, N.J. - The Maryland women's water polo team won its first game in program history Sunday, defeating Marist, 6-4, at the Princeton Invitational.

"It's nice to get it done and get the first win under our belts," said head coach Carl Salyer, who picked up his first-ever win as a head coach. "The girls played great. They're improving every game. We jumped on Marist early, then some mental lapses let them back in the game, but we played really well down the stretch."

The Terps took a 4-0 lead, including three first-quarter goals, before Marist came back to pull to within two goals at halftime at 4-2. But Maryland was able to hold on for the 6-4 victory.

Seniors Elyse Corwin (Orinda, Calif.) and Colleen McShane (Chicago, Ill.) each scored two goals in the historic win. Freshman Allie Houseal (Harleysville, Pa.) scored her second goal of the weekend, while senior Juli Jordan (Springfield, Va.) added her third. Houseal also had three steals in the win, while McShane contributed two.

Junior goalie Marissa Corwin (Orinda, Calif.) tallied nine blocks and a steal to help cement the momentous victory.

"Marissa was solid in the goal," Salyer said. "She's been unbelievable. She came up with some huge saves."

In the second game of the day and fourth of the invitational, the Terps (1-3, 0-1 CWPA Southern Division) fell to Southern Division rival Bucknell, 13-4.

Maryland kept it close for two quarters, with the score 3-2 after the first period and 5-3 at halftime, but the Bison pulled away with five unanswered goals in the third quarter.

"We had a very good start on the game and stayed with them through the first half, but they were a little too much for us in the third quarter," Salyer said.

Elyse Corwin notched her second hat trick of the weekend, scoring three of the Terps' four goals against Bucknell and bringing her season total to nine. Sophomore Orsi Ferenczy (Fot, Hungary) scored Maryland's other goal.

Marissa Corwin also had several big saves in the goal to keep the Terps in the game.

"The Corwin sisters came up big," Salyer said.

The Terps return to the pool next weekend for the Bucknell Invitational in Lewisburg, Pa. They will take on division rival Princeton at 12 p.m. and Slippery Rock at 4:40 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, then Penn State-Behrend at 8 a.m. and Michigan State at 12:40 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20.

Maryland 6, Marist 4
Marist   0 2 1 1 - 4
Maryland 3 1 2 0 - 6
Goals:
Marist: Rader 2, Sovern 1, Swanson 1
Maryland: Corwin 2, McShane 2, Jordan 1, Houseal 1

Bucknell 13, Maryland 4
Bucknell 3 2 5 3 - 13
Maryland 2 1 0 1 - 4
Goals:
Bucknell: Blitzer 5, Trimis 3, Sullivan 2, Fischer 1, Hartigan 1
Maryland: Corwin 3, Ferenczy 1