Women's Water Polo Tops Penn State Behrend and Carthage

SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College women's water polo team picked up a pair of big wins on Saturday as they opened the CWPA Regional in Hannah Natatorium, cruising past Penn State Behrend 24-11 and earning a 23-15 victory over Carthage College. The 'Roos are now 5-7 overall and 2-0 in conference play as they head into a pair of conference matchups tomorrow against Macalester and Augustana.

The 'Roos came out red hot offensively in the opening game of the weekend against PSB, putting eight shots in the back of the cage in the first quarter to grab an 8-3 lead. Bianca Gallegos scored three times in the period to lead the 'Roos to the big early lead, which grew to 14-7 at halftime, with Gallegos scoring three more goals in the second quarter. Joslyn Dimitri also had a huge first half for Austin College, scoring twice in the first and two more times in the second.

Austin College used a 6-2 third quarter to push the margin to 20-9, and four more goals in the fourth iced the game for the 'Roos in their first home contest of the year. Gallegos finished the game with seven goals and Dimitri addex six, while McKenna Malone, Mikhaela Torres, Clara Koenig, and Camila Diarte each scored twice. Ashley Chand, Mikayla Arizmendi, and Sophia King each scored once for Austin College in the victory. 

Against Carthage, the 'Roos jumped out to a 5-3 first quarter lead with Dimitri tallying twice to lead the way, and each team scored three times in the second to head into halftime with the score 9-6. The third quarter was evenly matched as well, with both teams scoring six times to make it 15-12 heading into the fourth, but Austin College erupted for eight tallies in the final frame to put the game out of reach at 23-15. 

Austin College used a balanced scoring attack to come away with the win, led by four goals from Chand, who was celebrating her Senior Day, and three goals each from Koenig, Gallegos, Malone, and Torres. Diarte and Dimitri each chipped in a pair of goals, while Arizmendi, Morgan Evans, and Ashlyn Thomas found the back of the cage one time apiece. 

Austin College is back in the pool bright and early on Sunday, taking on Macalester at 8:00 a.m. and finishing up the weekend against Augustana at 3:00 p.m.