GROVE CITY, Pa. — The Division III No. 9-ranked Macalester College water polo team won a pair of Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III games during the final regular season league weekend at Grove City College’s James E. Longnecker Pool. The Scots defeated the host Wolverines, 20-10, before coming back to beat Connecticut College in overtime, 11-8. The results give Macalester an 8-8 record overall and a 5-1 mark in conference play.
Against Grove City, the Scots put five goals on the scoreboard in the first quarter, including two from senior Sian Lewandowski (North Haven, Conn./Williston Northampton) to lead 5-1 after eight minutes. Four goals by junior Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) had Macalester ahead by a 9-4 scored before the Wolverines tallied three straight goals to move within 9-7. A goal by junior Kendall Strauss (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock) before the end of the second quarter put Macalester on top, 10-7 at halftime.
The Scots effectively put away the game with six goals in the third quarter as Palmer-Sammons and senior Elizabeth Matlin (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) fired in a pairs of shots for a 16-8 advantage.
In the fourth quarter, Macalester closed out the win by outscoring Grove City 4-2 to double-up the Wolverines, 20-10.
Sammons finished with six goals, while Matlin netted three. Lewandowski, Alana Nadolski (Jr., Kentwood, Mich. East Kentwood) and Olivia Dimka (Sr., Denton, Texas/John H. Guyer) deposited pairs to accompany single strikes by Hannah Fasi (So., Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani School), Kendall Coney (Sr., League City, Texas/Clear Creek), Brooke Geel (Sr., Meriden, Conn./Hopkins School), Anna Gaisser (Sr., Seattle, Wash./Ingraham) and Strauss.
In the second game, the Scots fell behind Connecticut College, 8-3, midway through the third quarter. A goal by Coney before the end of the frame ignited the comeback, as Macalester tallied five straight goals to tie the score at 8-8 with 4:08 remaining in the fourth quarter. Fasi scored twice in the run.
Neither team scored during the remainder of regulation, sending the game to overtime.
Matlin scored in the first overtime period, and Palmer-Sammons found the net twice in the second, as the Scots blanked the Camels over the final 9:52 to earn the comeback victory.
Palmer-Sammons had four goals, with Fasi and Strauss each scoring twice. Coney, Matlin and Gaisser added solo markers.
First year goalkeeper Myles Kratz (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) registered 13 saves in goal for the Scots to earn the win against the Camels.
Information courtesy Macalester College Athletics Communications
