The water polo team closed its 2026 season at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship in Ann Arbor, Michigan, last weekend. The Red Flash finished the tournament with a win over Mercyhurst following losses to Princeton and Bucknell.
SFU (9-11) opened play at the conference meet on April 10 with an 18-10 loss to Princeton. The Flash trailed 5-2 after the first quarter and 10-5 at halftime before Princeton pulled away in the second half.
Senior attacker Caylah Olay led the offense with seven goals on 12 shots against the Tigers. Sophomore Sofia Maioriello added two goals and two assists, while freshman goalkeeper Victoria Tamarit recorded six saves, two assists and five steals.
Head coach Jay O’Neil was pleased with the way his players competed throughout the tournament.
“I thought the team battled hard all weekend,” O’Neil said. “They peaked at the right time and we were playing our best polo at the end of the season.”
Olay, a senior Physician Assistant major from Redondo Beach, California, said she focused on giving maximum effort in her final collegiate action.
“I left it all out there,” said Olay.
Following the loss to Princeton, Saint Francis fell 9-6 to Bucknell before rebounding with a 13-5 win over Mercyhurst to close the season.
Against Bucknell, the Red Flash trailed early and could not close the gap despite strong defensive play. Olay scored four goals against the Bison and Tamarit finished with 10 saves and two steals.
In the win over Mercyhurst, Saint Francis took control early, jumping out to a 4-1 first-quarter lead. Tamarit recorded five saves and five steals, while Olay added five goals. Senior Megan Marlin scored four goals on five shots against the Lakers.
O’Neil praised the performance of Olay not just last weekend, but throughout her career.
“Caylah is a great player,” O’Neil said. “She was a force in the pool and she will be missed.”
