NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - The Connecticut College women's water polo team battled with Division I Iona on Sunday afternoon, falling to the host Gaels 17-9 from Hynes Pool. With the loss, Conn falls to 2-5.

Iona opened the contest with the first goal of the game just two minutes in. However, Conn answered a minute and a half later as Melia Lorch (Encinitas, Calif.) evened the score. The Gaels responded with two straight tallies, before Meiling Bottan (Lexington, Mass.) found Emma Luna (Wahiawa, Hawaii) who fired home with 2:30 left. Iona pushed the lead to 4-2 in the final 30 seconds, but Luna beat the buzzer as Conn trailed 4-3 after one.

Iona took control in the second quarter, outsourcing Conn 5-1 in the frame. The Gaels scored the first four goals of the period to extend the lead to 8-3, before Luna was able to end the run at 4:10. Iona tacked on another goal in the final minute of the half, to take a 9-4 advantage into the break.

Both defenses stepped up in the third quarter, as it took over four minutes for either side to score. Carly Schneider (Barrington, Ill.) got the scoring started, cutting the deficit to 9-5. However, each team scored twice over the final 3:41 of the period. Luna tallied both goals for the Camels, as Conn trailed 11-7 heading to the fourth.

The Gaels opened the final quarter on a 4-0 run, extending the lead to 15-7, looking to put the game out of reach. With five and a half minutes remaining, Lorch dumped off a pass to Ainsley Cornwall (San Matteo, Calif.) who fired home to make it 15-8. Iona responded with back-to-back markers, before Luna tallied the final goal of the afternoon off an assist from Anna Taylor (Pleasanton, Calif.) as Conn fell 17-9.

Maddie Baybeck (Ann Arbor, Mich.) got the start in the cage, finishing with eight saves. Luna paced the Conn offense, leading the way with six goals. Lorch chipped in one goal and one assist, while Cornwall and Schneider both added one goal and Bottan and Taylor each notched one assist.

Conn returns to action this weekend as the Camels travel to Grove City, Pa. for four games beginning with a matchup against Augustana at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.