W&J Advances to Finals at DIII Eastern Women's Water Polo Championships
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Washington & Jefferson College women’s water polo team claimed a 6-3 victory over fifth-seeded Macalester College in the semifinals of the CWPA Division III Eastern Championships Friday, April 29 to advance to the championship match of the tournament for the second time in school history.
The fourth-seeded Presidents (11-6) knocked off Macalester, the host of the tournament, and will now play second-seeded Grove City with the CWPA DIII Women’s Water Polo Eastern Championship on the line. The game is scheduled for Saturday at 3:45 EDT. Grove City (16-12), the defending CWPA Division III Eastern champion, defeated seventh-seeded Utica 16-3 and third-seeded Wheaton 7-1 on Friday to advance.
The Presidents and Wolverines have met twice this season, with Grove City taking both matchups. GCC won 12-2 on Mar. 5 at Grove City and claimed a 9-4 victory over W&J at Carthage College (Wisc.) on Apr. 9.
The Red & Black seized momentum against Macalester with a three-goal second quarter to take a 4-1 halftime lead.
Senior Katie Wieber (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) scored two goals in the game, while senior Kate Van Schaik (Arnold, Md./St. Mary’s), junior Sarah Cull (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) and freshmen Margot Wummer (Havertown, Pa./Germantown Academy) and Catherine Villa (Poway, Calif./Poway) all had a goal. Wummer had five steals and won three of four swim-offs.
Sophomore goalkeeper McKenzie Graf (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) made nine saves and added three steals. She fell just one goal shy of her season-low for a game.
Second-year Head Coach Greg Jones hopes to lead the Presidents to Washington & Jefferson College’s first CWPA eastern title in school history. Jones led the men’s team to a second-place finish at CWPA easterns in the fall.
