NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Macalester College water polo team has advanced to the CWPA Championships for a third-straight year with a win over Monmouth College, 13-11, today. With the game tied 10-10 going into the fourth quarter, the Scots won the game with three goals in the final period. This is the fourth time the Scots have beat Monmouth this year. Sophomore Cara Mullery (Palmetto Bay, Fla./MAST Academy) and first year Annika Krueger (Emerald Hills, Calif./Sequoia) led the Scots with four goals each. 

Mullery scored the first goal at 6:41 in the first. Tied 1-1, Mullery then scored a second goal to take the lead. But Monmouth tallied two back-to-back goals and went up 3-2. Krueger and senior Lucille Moran (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron) tallied a goal apiece to take the lead. But Monmouth took it back 5-4 going into the second quarter.

The Scots fell behind 7-4 with six minutes left in the second. But Mullery and Moran kept the Scots title hopes alive as they each scored a goal. The teams went into halftime with Macalester down 7-6.

Then at 7:19 in the third, junior Oriana Galasso (Gresham, Ore./Central Catholic) tied the game 7-7 with a goal. Macalester then took the lead as Krueger tallied her second goal of the game with less than three minutes left.

Monmouth went on a rally to go up 9-8 but Krueger tied it at nine all with three minutes left in the quarter. Neither team could hold a lead for long as Mullery gave the Scots a 10-9 lead but Monmouth tied the game with just five seconds remaining in the third.

Krueger helped the Scots take a quick lead in the fourth but Monmouth answered back to tie the game 11-11. Then sophomore Adeline Steward-Nolan (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park And River Forest) won the game for the Scots, sending Macalester to the championship game, with two goals at 3:34 and 1:55.

Senior goalkeeper Courtney Overland (Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani) tallied 7 saves on the day for the Scots.

Macalester will play for their third-straight CWPA Championship on Sunday, Apr. 14, against Austin College at 12:30 a.m. CDT in New London, Conn. Macalester has beat Austin College twice this year.

Monmouth College – 5 2 3 1 - 11
Macalester – 4 2 4 3 - 13
Macalester goals: Krueger 4, Mullery 4, Moran 2, Moran 2, Steward-Nolan 2, Galasso