SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Carthage College women’s water polo team went 1-3 at the 2026 Macalester Invitational as the Firebirds dropped games to host/Division III No. 8 Macalester College, 8-6, the Virginia Military Institute, 15-9, and Division III No. 5 Augustana College, 12-9, prior to upending Grove City College, 13-8.
On Saturday, February 14, VMI showed no love to Carthage by scoring five goals in the opening quarter to put the Firebirds on their heels. Carthage dented the twine via a Kamille Graham catch-and-shoot to open the scoring for the ‘Birds.
The second quarter was goal-for-goal, with each side giving up four in the cage. Grace Steinberg registered a hat trick in the third quarter to bring the Firebirds back to within four, but Carthage mustered only three goals in the second half as Morrigan Bushroe-Stumpf, Mak Werner and Kaylin Machuca swished scoring chances.
Unfortunately, the trio of tallies was not enough to keep pace with the Keydets who snuffed out any hopes of a Firebirds comeback to take a six-goal win.
Facing the host Scots, Macalester capitalized on a slow start by Carthage to score four times in the first quarter. Brenna Carstens was the lone scorer for Carthage in the opening quarter as the home team exited the dawning eight minutes with a 4-1 spread on the scoreboard.
The Firebirds bounced back to hold Macalester to one goal in the second quarter, matching Carthage’s sole goal from Mak Werner.
The second half was a defensive battle on both sides. The Firebirds came out firing all on all cylinders in the third quarter, scoring a game-high three goals with strikes by Carstens, Werner and Kiera Crawley. Steinberg pumped in a final goal for the Firebirds which fell by a pair in the home water of the Scots.
On Sunday, February 15, Carthage came out against the defending Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Champions of Augustana with the intent of an upset. The Firebiards burned Augie with an explosive five-goal first quarter to put the reigning CWPA Division III champs on the ropes. Carstens led the back with two back-to-back goals, while Steinberg and Graham both notched one tally before Augustana rallied back in the second quarter to outscore the Firebirds 4-0 and level the damage at five-all going into halftime.
The second half was a battle until the end with both teams trading goals. Carstens added another two to the scoresheet while Yamila Areizaga kept the birds alive with two goals in the second half. A pair of penalty shot blocks by Kira Jacobson kept Carthage in the game. However, four second half goals by Carthage were not enough to stifle the Vikings as Augustana rolled to a three-score win.
The weekend final for the Firebirds allowed the team to exit Land of 10,000 Lakes with a win as the team outlasted Grove City.
A 5-1 first quarter output set the tone as Carthage rolled to a five-score victory.
Jacobson starred in cage, while Sydney Barkley and Malee Todd both notched their first collegiate goals in the first half to propel the Birds to a 7-4 lead going into the third quarter.
Grove City gained some momentum in the second half, capitalizing on two man-up opportunities to bring the score within three goals, but a late goalie change for the Firebirds allowed for Edie Hamilton to make three saves and preserve a victory for Carthage.
Information courtesy Carthage College Athletics Communications
