Water Polo News

The North Allegheny water polo team hosted Cathedral Prep on Tuesday night and earned a double header sweep. The NA Girls started the night with an 11-4 victory and the NA Boys followed with a dominant 16-6 win.

In the opener, the Ramblers scored the game’s first goal on a marker by senior Mia Shaughnessy for a 1-0 lead with 5:20 left in the first period. The early momentum was short-lived for the visitors as the Lady Tigers netted the next eight consecutive goals on their way to an 8-2 halftime lead. Sophomore Mikaela Dassanaike was the catalyst for the Tigers with four first-half goals. For efforts, along with three steals on defense, Dassanaike was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Up by six to start the second half, North Allegheny cruised to the win by trading goals with Cathedral Prep over the final 14 minutes. Along with Dassanaike’s four-goal performance, senior Carissa Jones and sophomore Tori Tieppo each netted a pair of goals. Juniors Ava Sharar and Lily Tang, and sophomore Bella Spino all scored one goal apiece. Tang flustered and frustrated the Ramblers with her defense, posting a team-high four steals. Senior goalie Izzie Trunzo made 13 saves to earn the win. Cathedral Prep senior McKenzie DiPlacido paced the Ramblers with a hat trick, accounting for three of their four goals on the night.

In the night cap, North Allegheny broke a 4-4 tie in the second quarter with six consecutive goals to take a 10-4 lead by the early stages of the third quarter. From there, the Tigers dominated the action and coasted to a 16-6 triumph. Junior Grant Regule paced the attack with a game-high seven goals and added two assists and two steals to earn Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.

The Cathedral Prep defense didn’t have an answer for senior Camden Wright either, who tallied four goals and an assist. Sophomore Callan Bunger, junior Caden Currykosky, sophomore Logan Purnell, senior Anthony Hollo and senior Colton McCartney all scored goals in the victory. Sophomore Matthew Woods reeled in a team-best five steals and sophomore goalie Michael Stefanko made 10 saves in the win. Drew Brown and Callum Snider-Mills each netted a pair of goals to lead the Ramblers.

The North Allegheny boys’ team improves to 7-4 overall, while the Lady Tigers jumps to 7-5 on the season. North Allegheny will participate in part two of the Erie Challenge on Saturday.