GROVE CITY, Pa. — The Division III No. 10-ranked Washington & Jefferson College women’s water polo team finished winless on the final day and 2-2 overall at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III weekend hosted by Grove City College on Friday-Saturday, March 28-29. The Presidents fell to Division III No. 5 Austin College, 11-9, and Division III No. 10 Macalester College, 10-7, to conclude the conference regular season with a 6-2 record to lock-up the No. 3 seed for the CWPA Division III Championship at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., on Friday-Sunday, April 11-13.
Facing Austin, a goal from Anastacia Didovich (Venice, Fla./Venice) and two strikes by Emmie Ratcliff (Friendswood, Texas Friendswood) propelled the Presidents to a 3-0 start. The Kangaroos answered with three straight goals of their own, tying the match at three-all with 1:48 remaining in the quarter. Laura Anthony (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) netted the final goal of the first quarter giving W&J 4-3 edge after the first eight minutes of play.
Emmie Ratcliff netted the only goal of the second quarter for the Presidents as Austin took a 6-5 lead heading into the second half.
W&J was held scoreless in the third quarter by the ‘Roos who extended their lead to 8-5.
W&J outscored Austin in the final quarter of play via a 4-3 count. Sydney Neumann (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan), Mekkiye Ergun (Chicago, Ill./Lake View), Emma Halle (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and Anthony added the markers, but to no avail as Austin claimed an 11-9 victory.
Courtesy the win, Austin locked up the No. 1 seed for the CWPA Division III Championship.
Taking on Macalester in W&J’s weekend finale, the Scots jumped to a swift 6-2 lead after the first quarter. Emmie Ratcliff netted the two goals in the final two minutes of the quarter.
Halle and Emmie Ratcliff added markers in the second quarter to cancel out the two scored by Macalester to set the scoreboard at 8-4 in favor of the Scots heading into halftime.
Both teams matched pace again offensively in the third quarter, scoring one goal apiece. Didovich tallied the lone strike of the third quarter for the Presidents.
W&J outscored Macalester in the final quarter but was not enough to overcome the Scots lead en route in a 10-7 loss.
Due to the win, Macalester clinched the No. 2 seed for the CWPA Division III Championship.
Information courtesy Washington & Jefferson College Athletics Communications
