ONEONTA, N.Y. -- No. 15-ranked Hartwick College water polo team handled visiting Harvard University, 20-5, on Monday in the home opener for the Hawks. The 15-goal margin of victory is tied for the 2nd-largest over the Crimson in Hartwick history, second only to a 24-7 win in 2007. The Hawks are now 7-6 overall on the year.

Hartwick jumped out to a three-goal lead in the opening 1:50 of the game on tallies by Jemma Dendy Young, Sasha Freeborn and Charlotte Mensink. Mensink added her second of the game later in the period and Lily Martinez scored twice in a 33 second span to push the lead to six.

Jessica McKee tacked on another score with one second to go in the period and the Hawks led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Crimson finally got on the scoreboard 28 seconds into the second quarter and got as close as five, 9-4, with 1:56 to play before halftime. Goals, however, by Sami Capparelli and Mensink made it 11-4 after two periods.

The Hawks cruised in the second half, outscoring the Crimson 3-1 in the third quarter and holding them without a goal in the fourth, 6-0, for the final 20-5 margin.

Martinez finished as the day's top scorer with four tallies. She added two assists. Capparelli, Mensink, and Lisa Bass each added three goals for 'Wick. Mensink added three assists and a game-high six steals. Bass contributed three helpers.

Dendy Young finished with two goals and Shannon Leonard registered a game-high four assists, and she contributed two steals, and a goal. Goalie Jess Dorman stonewalled the Crimson offense with 18 saves. She also had two assists and a pair of steals.

Harvard was led by Monica Zdrojewski, who scored two goals. Aisha Price, Christy DiSilvestro and Elise Molnar added one goal apiece.

The game, although not a Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) leage contest, will count towards the seedings for the 2011 Women's CWPA Eastern Championship at Indiana University.  By league rules, all games between CWPA Division I/II institutions, both league and non-league, will be considered in seeding for the championship.

Release courtesy Hartwick Athletic Communications