NORTON, Mass. — The Connecticut College women’s water polo team jumped out to an early lead before defeating host Wheaton College, 21-11, at Balfour Natatorium. With the win, the Camels improve to 2-4 on the year.
The opening quarter was high-scoring, as the teams combined for 15 goals. Both sides traded the first four goals, as Ainsley Cornwall (San Mateo, Calif.) scored both for Conn, as the game was 2-2 at 5:57. The Camels ended the quarter on a 9-2 run to command of the contest. During the run, Sarah Nagel (Honolulu, Hawaii) tallied three goals, Cornwall and Emma Luna (Wahiawa, Hawaii) each scored twice, with Melia Lorch (Encinitas, Calif.) and Catrina Dumas (San Francisco, Calif.) both chipping in one as the Camels led 11-4 after eight minutes.
Maddie Baybeck (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Jada Keen (Kealakekua, Hawaii) scored back-to-back, before the Lyons ended the run with a goal from Ryanna Ritting making it 13-5 at 4:38. Keen added one more goal late in the frame, as the Camels led 14-5 at the break.
The teams combined for just three goals in the third quarter. Nagel tallied both goals for Conn in the frame, as Conn took a 16-6 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Wheaton scored two of the first three goals in the final eight minutes, cutting the deficit to 17-8. Conn answered, however, using a 3-0 run with two goals from Baybeck and another tally from Cornwall to push the lead to 20-8. The Lyons ended the game on a 3-1 run with the Camels final goal coming from Nagel as Connecticut earned a 10-goal victory.
Baybeck played the first and third quarters in the cage finishing with 19 saves, while Grace Isola (San Mateo, Calif.) played the other two quarters recording two saves.
Nagel paced the Camels with eight points on six goals and two assists. Cornwall added six goals, while Baybeck added three goals and three assists, as Luna posted two goals and three assists. Rounding out the scoring for Connecticut was Dumas, Keen, Lorch and Carly Schneider (Barrington, Ill.) all adding three points.
Release courtesy Connecticut College Athletics Communications
