CLAREMONT, Calif. – Down 5-1 heading into the fourth quarter, the Macalester College water polo team outscored Carthage College 6-1 over the final eight minutes to defeat the Firebirds, 7-6 in the third-place game of the USA Water Polo Division III National Championship Sunday morning at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. The Scots finish a memorable 2026 season with a record of 16-6, while Carthage ends its season 8-17.

The two teams played four times this season, with Macalester winning all four matches, two of which were one-goal victories. The Scots beat the Firebirds, 14-9 with a 6-1 fourth quarter in the finals of the CWPA Tournament on April 12.

On Sunday Carthage scored twice in the first quarter before senior Alana Nadolski (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) tallied a goal in the second quarter off an assist by senior Kendall Strauss (Round Rock, Texas/Round Rock). The Firebirds responded with three goals in the third quarter to take a 5-1 advantage into the final quarter. A minute into the fourth, Nadolski notched her second goal of the game, followed by a goal by sophomore Anna Gaisser (Seattle, Wash./Ingraham) a minute later to make the score 5-3. Junior Hannah Fasi (Honolulu, Hawaii/Iolani School) assisted on both goals.

Gaisser followed up with another goal with 5:18 to play, then senior Jess Palmer-Sammons (Half Moon Bay, Calif./Half Moon Bay) earned a penalty and scored on the penalty shot to tie the score at 5-5 with 4:52 on the clock. With just under three minutes to play, Nadolski found the net again to put Macalester on top for the first time, 6-5. Palmer-Sammons assisted on a goal by first year Katie Martin (Bryn Athyn, Pa./Germantown Academy) to extend the lead to 7-5 with 2:14 left. With 1:05 to play, Yamila Areizaga scored for Carthage to make it a one-goal game, 7-6. But the Firebirds managed just one shot the rest of the way, and senior goalkeeper Jayden Kratt (Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn) made the save, giving the Scots the win.

Kratt finished with 10 saves and a .625 save percentage in her final game as a Scot. Palmer-Sammons concluded her career with a goal, an assist and four steals, with Nadolski tallying a hat trick in her last game.

This was the first time Macalester advanced to the USA Water Polo Division III National Championship since the tournament was created in 2022. The Scots, coached by Scott Reed, have won four CWPA titles, including three straight crowns from 2017-19.

Pomona-Pitzer, who beat Macalester in yesterday's semifinal, won the Division III national championship with a 15-10 victory over host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.

MAC – 0 1 0 6 - 7
Carthage – 2 0 3 1 - 6
Macalester goals: Nadolski 3, Gaisser 2, Palmer-Sammons, Martin

box score

Tournament Website

2026 USA Water Polo Division III Championship - Axelrood Pool, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Claremont, Calif.
(Times are Central Daylight Time)
Saturday, April 25
Semifinal 1 - Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 24, Carthage 5
Semifinal 2 - Pomona-Pitzer 23, Macalester 2

Saturday, April 26
Macalester 7, Carthage 6 - Third Place
Pomona-Pitzer 15, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 10 - Championship