SHERMAN, Texas — The Division III No. 10-ranked Austin College women’s water polo team picked up a pair of Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III wins on the first day of a CWPA Division III-West Region weekend at home in Hannah Natatorium.
Austin cruised past Penn State Behrend, 24-11, and Carthage College, 23-15, as the ‘Roos are now 5-7 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
The ‘Roos came out red hot offensively in the opening game of the weekend against Penn State Behrend by putting eight shots in the back of the cage during the first quarter to grab an 8-3 lead. Bianca Gallegos scored three times in the frame to lead the ‘Roos to the early lead.
The margin grew to 14-7 by halftime with Gallegos scoring three more goals in the second quarter. Joslyn Dimitri also had a huge first half by scoring twice in the first quarter and two more times in the second quarter.
Austin utilized a 6-2 third quarter to push the margin to 20-9, and four more goals in the fourth iced the game for the ‘Roos in their first home contest of the year.
Gallegos finished the contest with seven goals and Dimitri addex six, while McKenna Malone, Mikhaela Torres, Clara Koenig and Camila Diarte each scored twice. Ashley Chand, Mikayla Arizmendi and Sophia King all accounted for solo markers in the victory.
Against Carthage, the ‘Roos jumped out to a 5-3 first quarter lead with Dimitri tallying twice to lead the way. Both teams scored three times in the second quarter to set the scoreboard at 9-6 in favor of the the home team heading into halftime.
The third quarter was evenly matched as well, with both teams scoring six times to make it 15-12 heading into the fourth quarter, but Austin erupted for eight tallies in the final frame to put the game out of reach at 23-15.
The ‘Roos used a balanced scoring attack to come away with the win, led by four goals from Chand, who was celebrating her Senior Day, and three goals each from Koenig, Gallegos, Malone and Torres. Diarte and Dimitri each chipped in a pair of goals, while Arizmendi, Morgan Evans and Ashlyn Thomas both found the back of the cage once.
Information courtesy Austin College Athletics Communications
