LA VERNE, Calif. – The Macalester College water polo team earned a big win over Saint Francis of Pa., 12-11 before losing to host University of La Verne, 9-6 on Tuesday at Las Flores Pool. The results give the Scots a 2-6 record on the season, as the team ended its Spring Break trip to California.

In the first game against Saint Francis, a Division I program, Macalester opened the match with goals by senior Eleanor Michaud (Long Grove, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) and first year Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) for a 2-0 lead. The Red Flash closed the first period with a 4-1 run, with Michaud scoring the Scots' goal, to pull ahead, 4-3. In the second quarter, Saint Francis tallied three consecutive goals before sophomore Brooke Lane (Meriden, Conn./Hopkins School) found the net just before the end of the period to make the halftime score 7-4 SFU. Macalester responded quickly in the third quarter, with Palmer-Sammons scoring twice and first year Lorelei Bell (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) scoring once to tie the game, 7-7.

The Red Flash sandwiched goals around a tally by Palmer-Sammons for a 9-8 edge. At that point the game turned, with Michaud ending the third quarter with a goal, then first year Alana Nadolski (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) and Michaud starting the fourth quarter with goals to put the Scots on top, 11-9. Nadolski answered a Saint Francis tally with a goal, and the Red Flash scored a goal one second before the end of the game to make the final score 12-11 Macalester.

Junior goalkeeper Laurel O'Hare (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) helped to preserve the win with 12 saves in goal. Michaud and Palmer-Sammons finished with four goals apiece to lead the offense.

In the night match, La Verne led 2-0 after one quarter before sophomore Elizabeth Matlin (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) opened the second quarter with a goal. The teams exchanged goals twice before the end of the quarter, with Matlin and senior Sydney Hollingsworth (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) scoring for Macalester to make the halftime score 4-3 Panthers. Three goals to start the third quarter gave La Verne a 7-3 advantage before Bell scored at the end of the period. Both teams scored twice in the final quarter, with Hollingsworth and sophomore Kendall Coney (League City, Texas/Clear Creek) finding the net for the Scots, as La Verne held on to win, 9-6.

First year Jayden Kratt (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) tallied 17 saves in goal for Macalester.

The Scots begin their CWPA schedule next weekend, Mar. 18-19 at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.

MAC – 3 1 5 3 - 12
SFU – 4 3 2 2 - 11
Macalester goals: Palmer-Sammons 4, Michaud 4, Nadolski 2, Lane, Bell


MAC – 3 1 5 3 - 6
ULV – 2 2 3 2 - 9
Macalester goals: Matlin 2, Hollingsworth 2, Bell, Coney