ERIE, Pa. – McKendree University women's water polo split a pair of matches here Saturday on the opening day of the WWPA Conference weekend at Cathedral Prep's Hallman Aquatics Center.
 
The Bearcats opened the day with a 20-7 win over Mercyhurst, before suffering a 13-12 loss to Salem (W.Va.) University.
 
With Saturday's spilt, the Bearcats improved to 14-5 overall and 3-2 in the WWPA and they will conclude the regular season with a 10 a.m. ET match on Sunday against Gannon University, who is hosting this weekend's WWPA matches.
 
On the day, graduate student utility player Jaleh Moaddeli (Newport Beach, Calif./GWU) led the way offensively for the Bearcats as she tallied 10 goals and added four assists and three steals, while senior center Abigail Burton (Chino, Calif./Chino) added eight goals and senior center defender Danielle Borelli (Laguna Beach, Calif./Laguna Beach) had six goals, two assists and four steals.
 
In goal, freshman Sydney Kane (Bradley, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) had 28 saves in the two matches.
 
McKENDREE 20, MERCYHURST 7
The Bearcats scored 12 goals in the first half to lead 12-3 at the half and then capped the scoring by outscoring the Lakers, 6-1, in the final period.
 
Burton (4) and Moaddeli (3) scored seven of McKendree's eight first period goals, with Borelli scoring the other goal.
 
McKendree jumped out to a 6-0 lead before Mercyhurst scored its first goal with 1:52 left in the opening period on a power play.
 
Junior utility player Katelyn Rodrigue (Brentwood, Calif./Heritage) got the scoring started for the Bearcats in the second period as she scored just 76 seconds into the period to give the Bearcats a 9-2 lead. After Hanna Good brought the Lakers within 9-3 with her second goal of the game, Moaddeli and junior utility player Shoshana Scanlon (Orlando, Fla./Olympia) each scored a goal in the final three minutes of the period to give the Bearcats a 12-3 lead at the half.
 
Mercyhurst would score three of the five goals on the third period to cut McKendree's lead to 14-6 heading into the final period.
 
The Bearcats opened the fourth period with five straight goals, including two by Burton to push out to a 19-6 lead with 43 seconds left in the match. Ava Gebhardt scored with 20 seconds left for Mercyhurst and Rodrigue would score the final goal of the match with one second left.
 
Moaddeli and Burton each scored seven goals in the win for the Bearcats, while Rodrigue added two goals. Moaddeli also had two assists and three steals in the match.
 
Good paced Mercyhurst (3-17 overall, 0-5 WWPA) with four goals.
 
Kane played all 32 minutes in goal and allowed seven goals and made 13 saves.
 
Marley Ramon played all 32 minutes in goal for the Lakers and have four saves and four steals to go with her 20 goals allowed.
 
McKendree was outshot 28-27 on the day, but the Bearcats recorded a .741 shooting percentage as they were 20-for-27 on shots in the match. Mercyhurst was 7-for-28 (25 percent) shooting on the day.
 
McKendree Goals: Burton 7, Moaddeli 7, Rodrigue 2, Borelli 1, Price 1, Rafalo 1, Scanlon 1.
McKendree Assists: Manuel 3, Bolton 2, Moaddeli 2, Burton 1, Rafalo 1, Scanlon 1
McKendree Saves: Kane 13
 
SALEM 13, McKENDREE 12
In the second meeting this season between the two teams, the Bearcats outshot the Tigers, 44-34, but was outscored 7-6 in the second half as the two teams were tied at 6 at the half.
 
Salem (13-16 overall, 3-0 WWPA) won the first meeting this season 17-9 at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O'Fallon, Ill., on March 19.
 
On Saturday, Borelli led the with five goals, an assist and three steals, while Moaddeli added three goals and an assist and Scanlon scored two goals and had an assist in the loss.
 
Both teams scored four goals in the opening period as Borelli, Scanlon, Burton and senior attacker Maddy Bolton (Alta Loma, Calif./Los Osos) each tallied a goal in the period.
 
In the second period, Borelli and Scanlon scored for the Bearcats as the teams were tied at 6 after the opening 16 minutes of play.
 
Salem would score six goals in the third period, including capping the period with three straight goals in the final 90 seconds to give the Tigers a 12-8 lead heading into the final period.
 
The Bearcats would get goals from Borelli and Moaddeli to cut Salem's lead to 12-10 with 3:23 left in the period. Taeghen Hack gave SU a three goal advantage on her goal with 1:33 left in the match. Hack's goal made the score, 13-10 in favor of the Tigers.
 
Borelli and Moaddeli would score back-to-back goals in the final 77 seconds of the match to cut Salem's lead to 13-12. The Bearcats had the ball with 11 seconds left when they turned it over to seal Salem's win.
 
Annefleur ten Bloemendal paced Salem offensively with six goals, while Hack added three and Courtney O'Shaughnessy had two goals and two steals in the win.
 
Kane allowed 13 goals, but recorded 15 saves in the match and also had a steal for the Bearcats.
 
Philippa Piper played all 32 minutes and allowed 12 goals and made 13 saves.
 
McKendree Goals: Borelli 5, Moaddeli 3, Scanlon 2, Burton 1
McKendree Assists: Manuel 2, Bolton 1, Borelli 1, Guzman 1, Moaddeli 1, Rodrigue 1, Scanlon 1, Smith 1
McKendree Saves: Kane 15