LA VERNE/ORANGE, Calif. — The Division III No. 7-ranked Macalester College women’s water polo team dropped games to Division III No. 6 University of La Verne, 14-9 and Division III No. 5 Chapman University, 7-5, to commence a West Coast trip. The Scots, who suffer their first losses of 2018 in falling to 7-2, saw their 16-match winning streak dating back to March 26, 2017, come to an end.
Against La Verne, a goal by sophomore Naomi Strait (Beaverton, Ore./Beaverton) tied the score at 2-2 with 2:04 left in the first half. But La Verne scored the next seven goals to close out the first half with a 9-2 lead. The Scots came as close as 12-9 following back-to-back goals by sophomores Oriana Galasso (Gresham, Ore./Central Catholic) and Cara Mullery (Palmetto Bay, Fla./MAST Academy) with 2:01 left in the fourth quarter. La Verne closed out the scoring with a pair of goals to clinch the win.
Galasso, Mullery, senior Hannah Gray (Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena) and junior Lucille Moran (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron) each scored twice for the Scots. Junior goalkeeper Courtney Overland (Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani) made eight saves.
Facing Chapman in the late game, the Scots trailed 4-0 before Mullery, Galasso and Moran found the net during the final 2:04 of the second quarter to make the score 4-3 at the half. After Chapman tallied a goal at the 6:25 mark of the third quarter, Moran and Galasso tallied goals 1:33 apart to tie the score at 5-5 with 4:03 remaining in the third. The Panthers scored just before the end of the quarter, then added a goal with 3:03 left in the fourth quarter for a 7-5 edge. Macalester put five shots on goal in the final quarter but was unable to beat Chapman goalkeeper Alyssa Welfringer.
Overland finished with nine saves in the loss.
Release courtesy Macalester College Athletics Communications
