GROVE CITY, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College women's water polo team finished 2-0 on day one of the Collegiate Water Polo Association weekend at Grove City College. The Presidents took down Carthage by a score of 17-9 in their first tilt before outlasting Augustana in game two, 9-8. The first day sweep extends the women's water polo win streak to six.
W&J 17, Carthage 9
The Presidents hopped out to an ample 8-2 lead in the first half as they limited the Carthage offense to just a goal in each quarter.
Emmie Ratcliff (Friendswood, Texas Friendswood), Anastacia Didovich (Venice, Fla./Venice), Emma Halle (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), Sydney Neumann (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan) each recorded a goal in the first quarter, respectively.
E. Ratcliff netted another goal for the first score of the second quarter. Carthage responded with their only goal in the eight-minute span. Laura Anthony (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) joined the offensive efforts next, netting a penalty goal at the 1:46 mark, 6-2. Halle and Hallie Ratcliff (Friendswood, Texas Friendswood) added two for the Presidents in the final moments of the first half.
Halle found the goal one last time for the Red & Black in game one, notching the first hat trick to set the score at 9-3. H. Ratcliff netted the next two goals for the Presidents, claiming the second W&J hat trick of the day. The Firebirds strung together two goals to cut the deficit to 11-5 with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. Didovich answered for W&J scoring the final goal of the quarter as the play clock hit 18 seconds, 12-5.
The Presidents put up five more goals in the last leg of play to claim the 17-9 victory. H. Ratcliff (2), Anthony (1), Mekkiye Ergun (Chicago, Ill./Lake View) (1) and Autumn Woollcott (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) (1) all scored in the final eight-minute quarter.
W&J 9, Augustana 8
Both teams displayed powerful defense as each finished the first quarter tied, 1-1. Augustana scored first at the 1:33 mark. Anthony scored the lone goal for W&J shortly after with 1:12 left in the opening quarter.
Halle added a marker that was followed up with two consecutive goals from E. Ratcliff gave the Presidents a 4-1 lead. Augustana tried to eliminate the deficit but was only able to cut the lead to 4-3 before the end of the first half.
Despite two more goals from E. Ratcliff, Augustana netted three goals to knot the score at six leading into the final quarter of play.
Didovich tallied the first score of the fourth quarter. Halle extended the Presidents lead to 8-6 with 3:34 left in the game. The Vikings found the back of the net to bring the game within one, 8-7. Anthony scored the final goal for the Presidents. Anthony's goal coupled with good defense helped W&J to outlast the Vikings, 9-8.
Alliey Cunningham (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) received both wins in goal for the Presidents improving her record to 9-3 on the season.
Up Next: W&J returns to competition Saturday (March 29), in the final day of the CWPA Weekend at Grove City. The Presidents will face Austin (8 a.m.) and Macalester (2 p.m.).
