ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College water polo team earned a hard-fought victory over Division I VMI, 10-8 in the first game of the 2024 season at the Macalester Invite Friday night at Riley Pool. The match was the first of 14 matches this weekend at Riley Pool.

Macalester trailed 3-0 until late in the first quarter, when sophomore Lorelei Bell (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) tallied the Scots' first goal of the season. Bell's goal was followed by second-quarter goals from sophomore Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) and junior Elizabeth Matlin (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) that tied the score at 3-3. In the third quarter, VMI sandwiched goals around a tally from first year Pooja Bucklin (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) for a 5-4 edge midway through the quarter.

At that point the Scots took control of the game with five straight goals, including three from sophomore Alana Nadolski (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood), for a commanding 9-5 advantage. Matlin and Palmer-Sammons scored the other goals in the run. VMI scored the next two goals, but first year Hanna Fasi (Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani School) found the net for an insurance goal, and the Scots closed out the win, 10-8.

Sophomore Jayden Kratt (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) registered 13 saves in goal to preserve the victory.

Macalester will play McKendree University at 2:00 p.m. and Occidental at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17 on the second day of the Macalester Invitational.

MAC – 1 2 3 4 - 10
VMI – 3 0 2 3 - 8
Macalester goals: Nadolski 3, Matlin 2, Palmer-Sammons 2, Bell, Bucklin, Fasi