March 12, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sophomore Shannon Simerly scored twice and the University of Maryland women's water polo team used a suffocating defense to defeat George Washington University, 9-3, Wednesday in the CWPA Southern Division opener for both teams.

The Terps, who have won seven of their last 10 games, improved to 12-6 on the season, while the Colonials dropped to 4-9.

Eight players tallied goals for Maryland, which led 4-0 at halftime and peppered George Washington goalie Julie Jacoby throughout the contest. The senior was solid, though, notching 19 saves to keep the Colonials within striking distance.

George Washington closed to within 6-3 on Luciana Maggiolo's with 6:25 remaining in the game, but two minutes later Christen Vagts added her 20th goal of the season.

Laurel Laidlaw and Casey Mills added a pair of late goals to close out the scoring.

Ashleigh Jobson made nine saves for the Terps in one of their best defensive efforts of the season.

The Terps are back in action this weekend at the Claremont Colleges Tournament in California.

The Terps play University of Redlands and Pimona-Pitzer Saturday before closing out the tournament Sunday with two more games.

Maryland 9, George Washington 3
Charles E. Smith Center Pool

	        1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
Maryland (12-6)	2	2	2	3	9
GWU (4-9)	0	0	2	1	3

MD Goals: Simerly, 2; Vagts, 1; Jordan, 1; Ernst, 1; Stanicic, 1; Beck, 1; M. Eicks, 1; Laidlaw, 1
GW Goals: Maggiolo, 1; Moren, 1; Stamler, 1