NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Washington & Jefferson College women's water polo team turned in a valiant effort Saturday afternoon in their semifinal matchup with top seeded Augustana at the 2024 CWPA Division III Championship hosted by Connecticut College at the Jane Cadwell Lott '36 Natatorium.

The Presidents used a fast start to pick up an early lead against the defending CWPA Division III champion Vikings. W&J built a 5-2 lead after the first and led 7-5 at halftime.

Mekkiye Ergun (Chicago, Ill./Lake View) scored about a minute into the game goal to put the Presidents in front. Emma Halle (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) converted a penalty shot a few minutes later to make it 2-0 less than three minutes into the game.

Augustana responded with back-to-back scores to even the score with 3:56 left in the first. However, the Presidents ripped off three-straight goals. Laura Anthony (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) sandwiched goals around a score from Sydney Neumann (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan).

Halle ripped in a score just 54 seconds into the second to extend W&J's lead to 6-2. Augustana answered with a score before Halle completed a first half hat trick. Halle made it 7-3 W&J with 3:10 remaining on the clock. The Vikings trimmed the W&J lead to 7-5 with a pair of scores late in the first half.

The Vikings took control in the third quarter. Augustana outpaced W&J by a 7-2 margin in the third. The Vikings scored the first four goals of the quarter to take a 9-7 lead. The pesky Presidents evened the score at 9-9 following goals by Neumann and Anthony. Anthony's penalty shot evened the score with 3:25 left in the third.

Augustana scored three times over the final 1:43 of the third to put a dent in the Presidents' hopes of making a trip to the finals. The trio of goals made it 12-9 Augustana entering the fourth.

The Vikings scored the first three goals of the fourth to take its largest lead at 15-9.

Anthony and Halle led the Presidents with three goals apiece. Neumann added two scores.

Alliey Cunningham (Evanston, Ill. / Evanston Township) was credited with three saves in the loss.

The win advances the Vikings to the CWPA Division III Championship versus Austin College Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Austin College topped Macalester by an 8-7 score in the other semifinal.

W&J will face Macalester in the third place game on Sunday at the CWPA Championships at 12 p.m.