KENOSHA, Wis. — The Division III No. 5-ranked Augustana College Vikings finished the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III-West Region weekend at Carthage College’s HARIBO Pool by defeating Grove City College, 14-7, and the Firebirds 15-3.
In the opening period versus Grove City, Abigail Gatlin scored first before Jersey Merrick followed two minutes later to gain a 2-0 lead. The Wolverines closed out the first eight minutes with a goal in the final 30 seconds to create a 2-1 game.
Merrick and Gatlin kept the momentum going in the second quarter to move the gap to 4-1. Grove City followed with two of their own to get within one, but Braelyn Hill stretched the difference back to two. The Wolverines collected another goal with 1:09 on the clock to make it a 5-4 contest entering the halftime break.
Returning to action, Alayna Ickert began the scoring for Augie with 6:18 on the clock. Three minutes later, Emma Blezien found the back of the net to stretch the gap to 7-4. Both teams traded shots with Anais Jones putting up a tally for the Vikings. Aneeka Sumanatilleke notched a successful shot 25 seconds later before Grove City tallied the final goal to create a 9-7 game heading into the final eight minutes of regulation.
In the fourth, Anita Rodgers put a shot past the goalkeeper and Hailey Sherman followed in flipping the score to 11-7. Augie tallied three more points in the final five minutes of play with successful tries coming from Waiahuli Akau, Carli Udovich and Merrick.
Eleni Nicoloudes saved three shots in 16 minutes of action in cage, while Jillian Hemming secured four saves in the final 16 minutes.
Taking on the host Firebirds in the final game of the weekend, Carthage fired first before Augie followed with three straight goals from Gatlin, Sumanatilleke and Blezien to overtake the lead by a 3-1 count. Carthage got within one before Hill moved the difference back to two a minute later. Mary King scored with 3:49 on the clock and the Vikings closed the first half with successful shots from Rodgers and Blezien to take a 7-2 advantage into the break.
Returning to action, the Firebirds scored first before Augie followed with four straight goals. Akau started the scoring for the Vikings with back-to-back goals, with one being off a penalty shot. Jones followed with a penalty goal before Blezien closed the third quarter with a goal in the final 22 seconds to move the score to 11-3.
In the fourth quarter, Augustana scored four more while holding Carthage scoreless. The successful shots from the Vikings came from Sofia Boccalatte, Rodgers, Simone Cairns and King to secure a 15-3 victory.
Blezien led the team with three goals, while Rodgers, Hill, King, and Akau collected two apiece. In the cage, Susan Palmentera-Reid finished the contest with 10 saves.
With the two wins, Augie moves to 13-3 on the season and opens conference action with a perfect 4-0 record.
Information courtesy Augustana College Athletics Communications
