Water Polo Game Summaries

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.

The North Allegheny water polo team took part in the Beast of the East Tournament over the weekend. The NA Boys and Lady Tigers each went 2-2 at the tournament.

After a 10-2 loss to Archbishop Spalding in the opener on Friday night, the Lady Tigers bounced back with a 12-8 triumph over Lawrenceville. NA trailed 5-3 at the half but rallied by outscoring their foe, 7-1, in the third quarter. Sophomore Mikaela Dassanaike led the charge with a seven-goal performance. Senior Carissa Jones had another strong overall outing with two goals and a team-best five assists and four steals. Junior Lily Tang netted two goals and junior Ava Sharar tacked on another. In net, senior goalie Izzie Trunzo made 15 saves to earn the victory.

On Saturday, the Lady Tigers added another victory to the win column with an 11-4 decision against Central York. Jones tallied a team-best five goals and four steals. Dassanaike notched a hat trick and two steals, while Sharar, and sophomores Bella Spino and Tori Tieppo all scored one goal apiece. Trunzo reeled in 16 saves, including 11 in the second half. Despite two goals and seven steals from Jones in the finale, the NA Girls lost 10-3 to Lawrenceville to round out the tournament.

The NA Boys started the tournament with a pair of wins on Friday night, including a dominant 15-5 victory over Archbishop Spalding in the opener. The Tigers jumped out to a 9-3 lead by halftime and cruised to the win. Sophomore Callan Bunger spearheaded the effort with a five-goal effort. Senior Colton McCartney had a hat trick, while junior Caden Currykosky and senior Camden Wright netted two goals each. Senior Jonathan Mowry, sophomore Matthew Woods and junior Grant Regule chipped in with one goal each. In net, sophomore Michael Stefanko posted 11 saves to pick up the win.

The night cap on Friday night was a much tighter affair with Cumberland Valley. Tied 7-7 after three quarters, the Tigers clawed past the Eagles by winning the fourth quarter, 4-2, en route to an 11-9 triumph. Currykosky, Wright and Regule each tallied a hat trick. Mowry and McCartney notched one goal each. Mowry also dished out a team-best four assists, while Currykosky and Wright corralled two steals each on defense. Stefanko totaled 10 saves in the victory.

The Tigers didn’t fare quite as well in day two of the tournament, dropping a 9-2 decision to North Penn and falling to La Salle College, 13-3. Against North Penn, Regule and sophomore Mason Shantz each scored goals. Regule, Wright and McCartney all found the back of the net with goals against La Salle.

Following the Beast of the East, the NA Boys are 6-4 on the season and the Lady Tigers sit at 6-5. North Allegheny hosts Cathedral Prep on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. The doubleheader will be broadcast live by the North Allegheny Sports Network.

The North Allegheny water polo team made the trip north to Erie on Tuesday night and came away with a pair of wins. The NA Boys defeated host McDowell, 9-3, while the Lady Tigers garnered a 12-9 triumph against the Trojans.

In the Boys’ contest, the Tigers suffocated the Trojans with an air-tight defense and strong play from sophomore goalie Michael Stefanko, who shut down McDowell with nine saves and a steal. With McDowell held at bay, the NA attack was powered by senior Camden Wright, who notched a hat trick and a pair of steals. Senior Anthony Hollo netted two goals, while Jonathan Mowry, Mason Shantz and Grant Regule all tallied one goal apiece. Regule and senior Colton McCartney distributed a team-high two assists each. Along with Wright’s two steals, junior Caden Currykosky also gathered in a team-high two thefts.

The Lady Tigers were involved in a bit more high-scoring affair and prevailed thanks in part to a five-goal performance from senior Carissa Jones. Sophomore Mikaela Dassanaike helped power the offense with a four-goal outing. Junior Ava Sharar netted a pair of goals and sophomore Tori Tieppo tallied a goal. Juniors Mary Coffman and Lily Tang dished out a pair of assists, while Jones and Sharar each notched a team-best two steals on defense. In net, senior goalie Izzie Trunzo reeled in 10 steals and swiped a pair of steals as well, to join Jones and Sharar as team leaders in that statistical category.

Following the sweep in Erie, the NA Boys now sit at 4-2 on the season and the Lady Tigers improve to 4-3. Both teams head to the Beast of the East tournament this weekend.

The North Allegheny water polo teams participated in Part One of the Erie Challenge over the weekend. The NA Boys split their two games of the tournament and the Lady Tigers went 0-2. Prior to the Erie Challenge, the NA Girls also faced off against Fairview in northwest Pennsylvania with an impressive showing.

For the Lady Tigers, the weekend started with a 14-7 win over Fairview on Friday night. NA jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter and held an 11-1 advantage by intermission. Senior Carissa Jones had a strong all-around performance with four goals, five assists and a pair of steals. Adding to the NA offensive onslaught was Lila Torchia, Mikaela Dassanaike and Elizabeth Vales with two goals each. Junior Ava Sharar, sophomore Bella Spino, freshman Sania Bedi and freshman Lila Sonaer all chipped in with goals as well. In net, senior Izzie Trunzo got the start with one save and two assists. Sophomore Katherine Vales played the majority of the game in between the pipes and notched seven saves.

On Saturday at the Erie Challenge, the NA Girls faced off against Pennridge and fell behind 4-1 in the first quarter. Despite a hard fought effort the rest of the way, the Tigers couldn’t overcome the early deficit and fell, 7-4. Jones led the offense with three goals and an assist, and sophomore Tori Tieppo added a goal. Trunzo played all four quarters at goalie and made 10 saves. In their third and final game, the Lady Tigers dropped a 13-2 decision to Wilson. Jones and Dassanaike scored one goal each and Trunzo made 13 stops in net.

The NA Boys played both of their games on Saturday and started the tournament with a 16-7 triumph over Pennridge. Senior Colton McCartney sparked the blowout win with four goals, six assists and a steal. Senior Camden Wright notched a hat trick, while Callan Bunger, Jonathan Mowry, Caden Currykosky and Anthony Hollo all netted two goals apiece. Junior Grant Regule chipped in with a goal and a trio of steals. Mowry paced the defense with four steals. Sophomore goalie Michael Stefanko totaled 10 saves and three assists.

In game two, the Tigers fell to the Wilson Bulldogs, 14-5. Regule led the offense with a hat trick and paced the defense with two steals.  Wright and Bunger added goals in the defeat. Stefanko made eight stops in net.

Following this weekend’s action, the NA Boys are 3-2 on the season and the Lady Tigers sit at 3-3 overall. Both teams will visit McDowell on Tuesday night.

The North Allegheny water polo team hosted the annual Tiger Classic over the weekend with some outstanding teams from across the state participating in the event. The NA Boys and the Lady Tigers each split their two meetings at the tournament.

The NA Girls started the tournament on Friday night and dropped a 13-4 decision to Governor Mifflin. Senior Carissa Jones netted all four goals for the Tigers and notched a team-best five steals on defense. Senior goalie Izzie Trunzo totaled six saves and sophomore Katherine Vales made one stop.

The Lady Tigers bounced back in their Saturday night contest with a 13-3 victory against Cumberland Valley. Jones paced the team once again with six goals and six steals. Junior Lily Tang tallied a hat trick, while Ava Sharar, Bella Spino and Tori Tieppo all scored goals. Trunzo displayed her versatility with 12 saves in net and played the field in the fourth quarter, netting a goal as well. Trunzo also posted a team-high four assists. Vales made a pair of saves in the fourth period.

The NA Boys opened the tournament with an impressive 14-5 victory against Governor Mifflin. Senior Camden Wright led the offense with a team-high five goals and added a pair of steals on defense. Senior Jonathan Mowry totaled two goals and a team-leading eight assists. Also scoring two goals apiece were Mason Shantz and Matthew Woods. Seniors Anthony Hollo and Colton McCartney each netted a goal as well. Along with Wright, Mowry and sophomore Logan Purnell notched two steals each on defense. In net, sophomore Michael Stefanko made nine saves in a winning effort.

In the tournament finale, the Tigers were tied 7-7 with Cumberland Valley at the half but the visiting Eagles outscored NA, 5-2, in the third period to prevail. Wright paced the team with six goals and two steals. Woods netted a pair of goals and junior Caden Currykosky added a goal. Stefanko reeled in 10 saves in net for the Tigers.

Following the Tiger Classic, the NA Boys and Girls teams each sit at 2-1 on the season.