'Roo Water Polo Competes Well at VMI Invite

LEXINGTON, Va. - The Austin College women's water polo team took on a strong slate of opponents at the VMI Invite to open the 2025 campaign, falling 16-6 and 18-8, respectively, against Division I opponents St. Francis (Pa.) and Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, before finishing the weekend with a 15-7 defeat against Division II foe McKendree and a tough 16-10 loss in a battle against the host school, Division I program Virginia Military Institute.

Joslyn Dimitri and Bianca Gallegos each tallied twice in the team's season-opening contest against St. Francis, and Ashley Chand and Lexy Hulse found the back of the cage once each in the 16-6 defeat. The 'Roos trailed 4-1 after the opening quarter and 9-2 at halftime before cutting it to an 11-4 game heading into the final period. The score was 13-5 midway through the fourth before St. Francis put the game away with a 3-1 run in the game's closing moments.

In the second game of the day on Saturday, the 'Roos found themselves trailing 6-1 after the opening quarter and 13-3 heading into halftime against Mount St. Mary's, before playing their second Division I opponent of the day to an even 5-5 score in the final two quarters to make it an 18-8 game at the final horn. Gallegos once again scored twice, and Mikhaela Torres tallied twice as well. Dimitri, Morgan Evans, McKenna Malone, and Sophia King all put one in the back of the net once in the loss.

The 'Roos took on their lone Division II foe of the weekend in McKendree to open things up on Sunday morning, keeping things close in the opening quarter at 3-2, but McKendree outscored the 'Roos 4-1 in the second frame to make it a 7-3 game at halftime. The margin grew to 11-5 heading into the fourth, and McKendree used a 4-2 final period to give the 'Roos a 15-7 defeat. Chand and Torres both scored twice in the game, while Gallegos, Dimitri, and Malone tallied once apiece.

Austin College wrapped up its weekend trip against the host team on Sunday afternoon, battling early to a 4-4 tie through the opening quarter, but VMI used a 6-1 second quarter to make it a 10-5 game at the break. The 'Roos trailed 14-7 after the third period, before outscoring their Division I opponent 3-2 in the fourth to make it a 16-10 final score. Dimitri and King each scored three times in the loss, while Chand tallied once and Gallegos and Lucy Pigford found the back of the net once each.