UTICA, N.Y. — The Connecticut College women’s water polo team capped a perfect Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III-East Region weekend and clinched the region regular season by downing Grove City College, 22-12, adn host Utica University, 10-5.
The Camels overcame a first-quarter deficit to deliver a 22-12 win over Grove City in the day’s first game. Gigi Sandull (Kenilworth, N.J.) recorded a season-high 13 goals to go with one assist in the victory, and Maria Sell (San Mateo, Calif.) and Emma Luna (Wahiawa, Hawaii) added three goals apiece.
Connecticut completed its undefeated weekend with a 10-5 victory over Utica. Ainsley Cornwall (San Mateo, Calif.) led the way with four goals and an assist, while Sarah Franco (Weston, Conn.) contributed a hat trick and two helpers.
Connecticut went 4-0 for the weekend and wrapped up first place in the CWPA East Region standings with a 7-1 overall mark. As the top finisher in their region, the Camels earn the No. 2 seed for the CWPA Division III Championship slated for April 21-23 at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn.
Sandull was unstoppable all weekend, finishing with 31 goals and six assists over the four games.
Facing Grove City, the Camels got off to a hot start as Sandull notched a hat trick in the opening 2:06 of the contest. The Wolverines responded with four straight goals to snatch the lead away, and by the time the quarter wrapped up Grove City held a 7-5 advantage.
Connecticut trailed 8-5 in the second before rallying back with four straight goals to grab the lead by halftime. Sandull supplied the final two tallies, tying the game with 3:42 left in the stanza before putting the Camels on top with 1:12 to go.
Connecticut led 9-8 at the break but quickly put the game away in the third quarter, outscoring Grove City by an 8-2 margin. The Camels netted the first four goals of the half—giving them eight straight between the two periods—as Sandull came out firing once again. She scored twice in the opening minute of the half and finished with four in the quarter.
The Camels led 17-10 entering the fourth and coasted to the final whistle. Franco finished with 13 saves and three steals in goal.
Facing Utica, Franco moved out of the cage and into the offensive end for the Camels against the Pioneers, and the switch paid immediate dividends. She netted all three of her goals in the opening quarter and staked Connecticut to a 4-1 lead it did not relinquish.
The Camels led 5-3 at intermission and once again used a strong third quarter to pad the margin. Cornwall provided the firepower this time around, scoring three times as Conn doubled its lead to 9-5.
Sandull started the game in goal for the Camels and made one save in the first quarter. Brooke Brandenburger (Sacramento, Calif.) then took over duties in the cage and recorded seven saves and two steals over the final three quarters.
Release courtesy Connecticut College Athletics Communications
