NORTON, Mass. – The Macalester College water polo team broke open a close match with six goals in the fourth quarter to put away sixth-seeded Grove City College, 10-4 in the semifinals of the CWPA Division III Championship Saturday afternoon at Wheaton College's Balfour Natatorium. The Scots (14-5) advance to the finals of the CWPA Championship on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. against fourth-seeded Carthage College.

Along with advancing to the CWPA finals for the first time since 2019, Macalester also qualifies for the 2026 USA Water Polo Division III National Championship, which includes the finalists from the CWPA and the SCIAC conference tournaments. This year's national championship will take place at the SCIAC champion's pool April 25-26.

The game with Grove City was a defensive battle at first, with the Wolverines scoring the lone goal of the first quarter. In the second quarter, senior Kendall Strauss (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock) put the Scots on the board with a goal two minutes in, then sophomore Anna Gaisser (Seattle, Wash./Ingraham) scored three minutes later to make the halftime score 2-1.

Macalester seemed to take control with goals by junior Hannah Fasi (Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani School) and senior Lorelei Bell (Encinitas, Calif./San Dieguito Academy) in the third quarter. But Grove Coty closed out the quarter with back-to-back goals late to make the score 4-3 Macalester heading into the fourth. That's where the Scots took over, getting goals from Strauss and senior Alana Nadolski (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) in the first 1:24 of the final quarter. After the Wolverines tallied a goal 16 seconds after Nadolski's goal, senior Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) answered for a 7-4 advantage. First year Reese Winegar (Hoffman Estates, Ill./William Fremd) found the net with 3:38 to play, then Gaisser scored twice to wrap up the win, 10-4.

Gaisser had three goals and an assist for four points, while Strauss notched two goals and an assist for three points in the win. Senior goalkeeper Jayden Kratt (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) recorded 12 saves and a .750 save percentage in goal for the Scots.

Macalester will play Carthage, which upset top-seeded Augustana College, 12-10 in the other semifinal, for the CWPA championship. Since 2011 the Scots have made it to the CWPA final three times and are 3-0, with titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Earlier this season, Macalester defeated the Firebirds in two closely contested games, 8-6 at the Macalester Invitational on Feb. 14, and 8-7 at Carthage on Mar. 14 in conference play.

The finals of the CWPA Championship take place on Sunday, April 12 at 11:30 a.m. Central in Norton, Mass.

MAC – 0 2 2 6 - 10
GCC – 1 0 2 1 - 4
Macalester goals: Gaisser 3, Strauss 2, Fasi, Bell, Nadolski, Palmer-Sammons, Winegar

2026 CWPA Tournament - Balfour Natatorium, Wheaton College, Norton, Mass.
(Times are Central Daylight Time)
Friday, April 10
Game 1 - No. 8 PSU-Behrend 13, No. 9 Wheaton 4
Game 2 - No. 2 Macalester 11, No. 7 Connecticut College 6
Game 3 - No. 6 Grove City 16, No. 3 Washington & Jefferson 13
Game 4 - No. 4 Carthage 12, No. 5 Austin 10
Game 5 - No. 1 Augustana 18, No. 8 PSU-Behrend 8

Saturday, April 11
Game 6 - No. 3 Washington & Jefferson 12, No. 7 Connecticut College 11 (OT)
Game 7 - No. 5 Austin 23, No. 9 Wheaton 5
Game 8 - No. 2 Macalester 10, No. 6 Grove City 4
Game 9 - No. 4 Carthage 12, No. 1 Augustana 10
Game 10 - No. 9 Wheaton vs. No. 7 Connecticut College, 3:00 p.m.
Game 11 - No. 5 Austin vs. No. 8 PSU-Behrend, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 12
Seventh Place - Game 11 Loser vs. Game 10 Winner, 7:00 a.m. (Seventh place)
Fifth Place - Game 11 Winner vs. No. 3 Washington & Jefferson, 8:30 a.m. (Fifth place)
Third Place - No. 1 Augustana vs. No. 6 Grove City, 10:00 a.m. (Third place)
Championship - No. 2 Macalester vs. No. 4 Carthage 12, 11:30 a.m. (Championship) Live video | Live stats