WASHINGTON, Pa. — The Washington & Jefferson College women’s water polo team pulled off a split in a pair of matches at home during a Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III-Eastern Region weekend at the Henry Memorial Natatorium. The Presidents fell 18-16 to Connecticut College in overtime to open the day before closing with a 16-14 defeat of Penn State Behrend.
After a back and forth first quarter, two goals from Anastacia Didovich (Venice, Fla./Venice) coupled with a goal each from Emma Halle (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and Mekkiye Ergun (Chicago, Ill./Lake View) had the Presidents leading the Camels of Connecticut, 4-3, after eight minutes of play.
The Camels answered in the second quarter to claim a 5-4 lead at the 4:48 mark and add another with 12 seconds remaining. Halle and Laura Anthony (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) were the only Presidents to score a goal in both the second and third quarters. Anthony’s goal at the buzzer in the second quarter tied the game at six-all entering halftime.
Despite a score each from Halle and Anthony in the third quarter, Connecticut College netted three markers to take a 9-8 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
W&J flashed some resilience in the fourth. The Presidents scored five times in the final eight minutes of regulation to force overtime. Sydney Neumann (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) and Hallie Ratcliff (Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood) both scored twice, while Halle tallied the other score.
Connecticut College outscored W&J by a 5-3 margin in overtime. Halle scored two of the three goals in extra time for W&J.
Halle finished with a team-high six goals against the Camels, while Neumann added three scores.
Taking on Penn State Behrend to conclude the day, the Presidents pulled in front early. W&J scored the first four goals of the match behind a pair of goals by Anthony. The Lions answered the W&J early spurt with a score late in the first quarter. The Presidents led 5-1 entering the second quarter.
W&J hit an offensive slump and went scoreless in the second quarter. PSB tallied four goals to even things up at five-all going into halftime.
Neumann and Ratcliff scored three times apiece in the third quarter. W&J eventually build a four-goal lead in the third before heading into the fourth with a 13-10 advantage. The seven goal output was the highest by any team in the game.
Both teams netted a goal during the first two minutes of the quarter. The score remained 14-11 until the 2:02 mark when PSB broke the scoring drought. Halle helped the Presidents hold off the Lions with a pair of late scores to secure the 16-14 win.
Halle finished with a team-high five goals against the Lions. Neumann and Ratcliff both scored hat tricks during a balanced offensive effort.
Information courtesy Washington & Jefferson College Athletics Communications
