GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Macalester College water polo team won a pair of conference games on the first day of the Grove City CWPA Round Robin Friday at James E. Longnecker Pool. The Scots defeated the host Wolverines, 20-10 before coming back to beat Connecticut College in overtime, 11-8. The results give Macalester an 8-8 record overall and a 5-1 mark in conference play.

Against Grove City, the Scots put five goals on the scoreboard in the first quarter, including two from senior Sian Lewandowski (North Haven, Conn./Williston Northampton), to lead 5-1 after eight minutes. Four goals by junior Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) had Macalester ahead, 9-4 before the Wolverines tallied three straight goals to make the score 9-7 Scots. A goal by junior Kendall Strauss (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock) before the end of the second put Macalester on top, 10-7 at halftime. The Scots effectively put away the game with six goals in the third quarter, with Palmer-Sammons and senior Elizabeth Matlin (Buffalo Grove, Ill./Adlai E. Stevenson) each scoring twice for a 16-8 advantage. In the fourth quarter, Macalester closed out the win by outscoring Grove City 4-2 to win, 20-10. Sammons finished with six goals, with Matlin scoring three goals.

In the second game, the Scots fell behind Connecticut College, 8-3 midway through the third quarter. A goal by senior Kendall Coney (League City, Texas/Clear Creek) before the end of the third ignited the comeback, as Macalester tallied five straight goals to tie the score at 8-8 with 4:08 remaining in the fourth. Sophomore Hannah Fasi (Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani School) scored twice in the run. Neither team scored during the remainder of regulation, sending the game to overtime. Matlin scored in the first overtime period, and Palmer-Sammons found the net twice in the second, as the Scots blanked the Camels over the final 9:52 to earn the comeback victory. Palmer-Sammons had four goals, with Fasi and Strauss each scoring twice. First year goalkeeper Myles Kratz (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) registered 13 saves in goal for the Scots.

Macalester wraps up CWPA play with matches against Wheaton at 9:30 a.m. Eastern and Washington & Jefferson at 2:00 p.m. Eastern at Grove City College.

MAC – 5 5 6 4 - 20
GCC – 1 6 1 2 - 10
Macalester goals: Palmer-Sammons 6, Matlin 3, Lewandowski 2, Nadolski 2, Dimka 2, Fasi, Coney, Geel, Gaisser, Strauss

MAC – 1 2 1 4 3 - 11
CC – 2 4 2 0 0 - 8
Macalester goals: Palmer-Sammons 4, Fasi 2, Strauss 2, Coney, Matlin, Gaisser