NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Macalester College water polo team battled Austin College in the semifinals of the CWPA Division III Championship but ultimately fell, 7-6 in an exciting match Saturday afternoon at Connecticut College's Lott Natatorium. The Scots (13-5) will play in the third-place game on Sunday, while the Kangaroos (8-10) will play for the CWPA title.

The semifinal winners also advance to the Division III national tournament, meaning Austin qualifies for nationals for the third year in a row.

In the first quarter, sophomore Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) answered Austin goals twice in a 2-2 tie after eight minutes of play. Palmer-Sammons sandwiched a Kangaroo goal with two of her own in the second quarter to make the halftime score 4-3 Scots. Austin broke through in the third quarter with three consecutive goals before first year Pooja Bucklin (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) found the net for Macalester to make the score 6-5 Kangaroos heading into the final quarter.

Austin opened the fourth with a goal for a 7-5 lead, then goals by Palmer-Sammons and junior Kendall Coney (League City, Texas/Clear Creek) tied the score at 7-7 with 2:41 remaining. Both teams came up empty until late in the quarter. With time winding down, Cory McGrath scored with 46 seconds to play to give the Kangaroos an 8-7 edge. The Scots hit the crossbar and were unable to score the tying goal before time expired, giving Austin the win.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jayden Kratt (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) made nine saves on the day, including two saves on penalty shots.

Macalester will face the loser of the Augustana/Washington & Jefferson match on Sunday, April 21 in the third-place game. The match starts at 11:00 a.m. Central at Lott Natatorium.

All games at the 2024 CWPA Tournament will be streamed live at https://www.nsnsports.net/colleges/connecticut-college/. Click here to view the tournament website.

MAC – 2 2 1 2 - 7
Austin – 2 1 3 2 - 8
Macalester goals: Palmer-Sammons 5, Bucklin, Coney


2024 CWPA Tournament - Lott Natatorium, Connecticut College, New London, Conn.
(Times are Central Daylight Time)
Friday, April 19
Game 1 - No. 8 Grove City 14, No. 9 Wheaton 4
Game 2 - No. 2 Macalester 11, No. 7 Carthage 4
Game 3 - No. 3 Austin 21, No. 6 PSU-Behrend 9
Game 4 - No. 5 Washington & Jefferson 9, No. 4 Connecticut College 4
Game 5 - No. 1 Augustana 22, No. 8 Grove City 4

Saturday, April 20
Game 6 - No. 7 Carthage 11, No. 6 PSU-Behrend 7
Game 7 - No. 4 Connecticut College 19, No. 9 Wheaton 3
Game 8 - No. 2 Macalester vs. No. 3 Austin, 12:00 p.m.
Game 9 - No. 5 Washington & Jefferson vs. No. 1 Augustana, 1:30 p.m.
Game 10 - No. 9 Wheaton vs. No. 6 PSU-Behrend, 3:00 p.m.
Game 11 - No. 4 Connecticut College vs No. 8 Grove City, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 21
Seventh Place - Game 11 Loser vs. Game 10 Loser, 8:00 a.m.
Fifth Place - Game 11 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, 9:30 a.m.
Third Place - Game 9 Loser vs. No. 2 Macalester, 11:00 a.m.
Championship - No. 3 Austin vs. Game 9  Winner, 12:30 p.m.