NEW LONDON, Conn. – Defense was the story for the Washington & Jefferson College women's water polo team as they downed host Connecticut College by a 9-4 score in the opening round of the Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Championships Friday evening. 
 
After giving up a total of 34 goals to the Camels in two losses during the regular season, the Presidents' defense tightened things up in Friday's win. The victory avenged an 18-16 overtime loss at home on March 9 and a 16-9 defeat in Florida during Spring Break on March 19. 
 
"We are very happy about our performance today but there is always room to improve," W&J head coach Nikola Malezanov said. "We struggled with defense this year. That was our focus last couple of weeks in practice and it showed. I am very proud of every single girl on the team. They left it all in the pool. We look forward to playing the top seed tomorrow and play for the spot at the NCAAs final four."
 
Connecticut opened the game with a pair of goals before consecutive scores by Hallie Ratcliff (Friendswood, Texas./Friendswood) and Emma Halle (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) evened the score at 2-2 with 2:31 left in the opening quarter. W&J gained the lead for good when Sydney Neumann (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) found the back of the cage just before the first quarter buzzer. 
 
Halle netted back-to-back goals to extend the lead to 5-2 Presidents midway through the second quarter. The Camels scored with less than a minute remaining in the half, but Halle scored with just two seconds left to give W&J a 6-3 advantage at halftime. 
 
The W&J defense continued to swarm the Camels during the second half. The Presidents shut out the hosts in the third quarter while scores by Neumann and Laura Anthony (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) strengthened the Presidents' lead to 8-3. 
 
Connecticut College finally broke their scoreless streak with a goal early in the fourth. However, the Presidents would hold the Camels down for the remainder of the game. Ratcliff tacked on the final goal of the match with just 1:24 to play to put the game on ice. 
 
W&J will face top seeded Augustana College on Saturday afternoon. The Vikings upended eighth-seeded by an 22-4 score Friday in their opening contest. The match is slated to get underway from New London, Conn. at 2:30 p.m.