ST, PAUL, Minn. — The Division III No. 10-ranked Monmouth College women’s water polo team slipped from contention for the top seed at the upcoming Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championship on Friday-Sunday, April 12-14, at Connecticut College in New London, Conn., back to No. 5 for the event as the Fighting Scots fell to Austin College,14-9, and Wittenberg University, 15-14, on March 30 before defeating Carthage College, 13-5, and slipping against host/Division III No. 8 Macalester College, 12-11, during the final weekend of CWPA Division III-West Region action.
On Saturday, March 30, the Scots got off to a slow start for the weekend despite a rapid fire first quarter with Austin College. Monmouth took a quick two-goal lead on scores from Becca Dabrowski and Miranda Pasky, but the ‘Roos answered and by the end of the first quarter, the teams were locked in a six-all slugfest. Monmouth’s offense then went cold, scoring just three times in the second and third quarters as Austin pulled away to sink the Scots 14-9.
It was another early lead in the second game on Day One of the weekend, a 15-14 loss to Wittenberg. Dabrowski scored three times in the first eight minutes to stake the Scots to a 5-3 first quarter lead before the Tigers blanked Monmouth in the second quarter to trail 5-4 at the intermission. Wittenberg then poured in six third quarter goals and held off the Scots’ fourth quarter rally.
Monmouth’s offense and defense was clicking on Sunday, March 31, when the Scots rolled past Carthage by a 13-5 count in the opener. Skylar Rapp scored two goals as four different players found the net en route to a 5-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Lady Reds closed the gap to 7-4 by the half, but never got closer than the three-goal margin.
The weekend ended with another one-goal loss, this time to host/two-time defending CWPA Division Champion Macalester who led nearly all the way to hang a 12-11 loss on Monmouth. Trailing by one with six seconds to play, Monmouth got off one last shot that sailed high ending a chance at overtime.
Due to the 1-3 mark on the weekend, Monmouth finishes the regular season with a 4-4 league mark and clinches the No. 5 seed for the upcoming CWPA Division III Championship at Connecticut. Macalester claimed the CWPA Division III-West Region regular season title and championship No. 1 seed courtesy an 8-0 league mark, while Austin (5-3), Carthage (2-6) and Wittenberg (1-7) will play out of the No. 3, 7 and 9 spots in the 10-team championship field slated to compete in the Constitution State in two weeks.
Information courtesy Monmouth College Athletics Communications
