NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Macalester College water polo team wrapped up the 2024 season with a 14-10 victory over Washington & Jefferson in the third-place game of the CWPA Division III Championship Sunday afternoon at Connecticut College's Lott Natatorium. The Scots finish with a 14-5 record, while the Presidents fall to 7-12.

Macalester took control early with five goals in the first quarter, including three from sophomore Alana Nadolski (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) and two from first year Pooja Bucklin (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn). Washington & Jefferson scored a goal near the end of the first quarter, then outscored the Scots 4-2 in the second to make the halftime score 7-5 Macalester. Nadolski and junior Kendall Coney (League City, Texas/Clear Creek) had the goals for the Scots.

In the third quarter, Bucklin and junior Olivia Dimka (Denton, Texas/John H. Guyer) found the net as the Presidents pulled to within one with three goals that made the score 9-8 heading into the final quarter. Macalester put the game away with five goals in the last eight minutes while holding Washington & Jefferson to two goals for a 14-10 victory. Bucklin scored twice in the quarter, while Nadolski tallied her fifth goal of the game and sophomores Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) and Lorelei Bell (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) also scored.

Senior goalkeeper Laurel O'Hare (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) made four saves in her final game as a Scot. Fellow senior Gabriela Weiner (Chicago, Ill./Whitney M. Young Magnet) also completed her career at Macalester on Sunday.

Palmer-Sammons made the All-Tournament first team, while Bucklin was named the Rookie of the Tournament and was included on the second team.

MAC – 5 2 2 5 - 14
W&J – 1 4 3 2 - 10
Macalester goals: Bucklin 5, Nadolski 5, Coney, Dimka, Palmer-Sammons, Bell


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. 3 Austin 8, No. 2 Macalester 7
Game 9 - No. 1 Augustana 16, No. 5 Washington & Jefferson 10
Game 10 - No. 6 PSU-Behrend 7, No. 9 Wheaton 2
Game 11 - No. 4 Connecticut College 16, No. 8 Grove City 9

Sunday, April 21
Seventh Place - No. 6 PSU-Behrend 11, No. 8 Grove City 8
Fifth Place - No. 4 Connecticut College 11, No. 7 Carthage 8
Third Place - No. 2 Macalester 14, No. 5 Washington & Jefferson 10
Championship - No. 1 Augustana 14, No. 3 Austin 10