The Iona women’s softball team recently continued their season with the start of MAAC play on April 1.

The defending MAAC Champions come into the season with a target on their back as they look to defend their title.

The Gaels opened up sweeping Fairfield on the road to start out 2-0 in the conference. Following this, last weekend the Gaels continued conference play traveling Upstate to Western New York to face Canisius and Niagara.

In the doubleheader with Canisius, Iona beat the Golden Griffs in game one 5-3, but then lost 1-0 in game two.

In the first game, Iona had three runs in the second inning.

Junior Cari Anderson reached on a fielder’s choice while the bases were full. Two runs scored on a play on an error. Junior Jodi Peterson followed it up with a run batted in, scoring freshman Angie Nieves for the third run of the game.

Another great play made by the Gaels was in the fifth inning when junior Eileen McCann led off with a single and then stole second base.

Senior Alyssa Maiese singled to right field plating McCann with Iona’s fourth run of the game. The final run was scored in the sixth inning. It started with a lead off by Anderson when she was hit by a pitch.

Anderson was sacrificed to second, moved to third on a groundout, then was driven in by McCann for the final run of the game.

Senior Sarah Jackson held strong for Iona’s win allowing three runs, two earned, and struck out six in seven innings.

Maiese recently was named MAAC Pitcher of the Week, earning the honor for the second time this season.

Maiese went 2-2, allowing five earned runs in 25 innings with earned run average of 1.40.

The Gaels will be back home in New Rochelle on April 21 as the will play two games against conference foe Rider. The first game is set for 1:00 p.m., while the second game is set for 3:00 p.m.

The next day, there will be two games at Manhattan with an earlier 11:00 a.m. start and then a 1:00 p.m. start for the second game.

Being defending champions, the Gaels are not taking their opponents lightly.

“Conference looks to be a dog fight this year; every team has the chance to beat any other team on any given day,” said junior Beth Kahn. “Whoever wins will depend on who shows up to fight that day.”