CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Division III No. 5-ranked Macalester College water polo team competed in the semifinals of the USA Water Polo Division III National Championship, losing to Division III No. 2 Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, 23-2, at host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges’ Matt M. Axelrood Pool. The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Champion Scots drop to 15-6 on the season, while the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) runner-up Sagehens improve to 20-16.
Macalester will play in the third-place game against CWPA runner-up/Division III No. 7 Carthage College on Sunday, April 26, at 10:30 a.m. Pacific/1:30 p.m. Eastern, while Pomona-Pitzer faces host/Division III No. 1/SCIAC Champion Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for the Division III national title at 12:30 p.m. Pacific/3:30 p.m. Eastern. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps defeated Carthage by a 24-5 score in the earlier semifinal contest.
The Sagehens tallied four goals in the first quarter, eight goals in the second and the first goal of the third to lead 13-0. The Scots notched their first goal at nationals in the third quarter, as sophomore Anna Gaisser (Seattle, Wash./Ingraham) found the net off an assist from senior Alana Nadolski (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood). After Pomona-Pitzer answered, senior Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) scored a goal that was assisted by senior Kendall Strauss (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock). But the Saghens were too difficult to stop, as Pomona-Pitzer tallied the final eight goals of the game to close out the win.
Senior goalkeeper Jayden Kratt (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) played the first half and registered four saves, while sophomore Myles Kratz (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) finished up and made one save.
Release courtesy Macalester College Athletics Communications
