NEW LONDON, Conn. – Wheaton College (Mass.) women's water polo fell to host Connecticut College, 20-6, this evening at Lott Natatorium in New London, Conn.
The Lyons slip to 0-10 on the season, while the Camels improve to 3-9.
Connecticut College owned a 39-34 shot advantage for the game.
Sophomore attacker Sophia Romo (Jupiter, Fla.) led Wheaton with three goals and added a steal, while first year center Ryanna Ritting (Perkasie, Pa.) netted a pair of goals to go with an assist, three steals, a block and a drawn exclusion. First year attacker Mackenzie Kirby (Blue Ash, Ohio) also scored for the Lyons. First year goalie Fiona Swift (Red Hill, Pa.) stopped seven shots in 32 minutes of action.
First year 2-meter player Sarah Nagel (Honolulu, Hawaii) and junior driver Emma Luna (Wahiawa, Hawaii) each scored four goals in addition to an assist to lead the Camels. Nagel also added a pair of steals and a block, while Luna picked up a steal and recorded a block. Junior 2-meter Ainsley Cornwall (San Mateo, Calif.) and sophomore driver Jada Keen (Kealakekua, Hawaii) scored three goals apiece and each registered an assist. Cornwall also came up with a steal and Keen won all four sprints for Connecticut College. Sophomore goalie Maddie Baybeck (Ann Arbor, Mich.) stopped four of seven shots in 16 minutes of play and added a goal and three assists in the field, while classmate Grace Isola (San Mateo, Calif.) turned away five of eight attempts in 16 minutes and contributed with a goal as well.
The Camels scored the first nine goals of the game, including all seven of the first quarter's markers. Luna fueled the opening run with three goals, while Cornwall and Nagel each netted a pair of scores. Baybeck's goal gave Connecticut College a nine-goal advantage with 4:23 to play in the second quarter.
Ritting got Wheaton on the board, just 19 seconds later at the 3:53 mark, to make it 9-1. First year driver Catrina Dumas (San Francisco, Calif.) netted two more in a span of 29 seconds for the home team, before Romo countered for the visitors with two of her own markers, including a goal with 16 ticks left on the second quarter clock. Nagel found the back of the net for the Camels with just two seconds before the horn sounded for the intermission to give Conn. College a 12-3 cushion.
The Camels scored five of the six goals in the third quarter, led by three from Keen, while Romo tallied the lone marker for the Lyons to set the count at 17-4 entering the final quarter of play.
Luna and Nagel scored in a 39-second span to open the fourth period and give the Camels a 19-4 advantage, before Wheaton scored two of the final three markers. Ritting and Kirby each scored with Kirby's goal making it a 20-6 final.
The Lyons return to action on Friday, April 11 when they meet up with Connecticut College again in the first round of the Women's Collegiate Water Polo Association Championship Tournament at 2:00 p.m. in Rock Island, Ill at host Augustana College.
