'Roos Open CWPA Play with Pair of Wins

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - The Austin College women's water polo team picked up two wins in the team's first two CWPA competitions of the year on Saturday, pulling away from Wittenberg for a 10-2 victory and holding of Macalester for a 7-6 win.

In the first game of the day, both teams started slowly offensively with Wittenberg getting on the board with 3:29 left in the first quarter and the 'Roos evening things up on a goal by Cory McGrath to make it 1-1 heading into the second. Wittenberg scored early in the second quarter to go on top 2-1, but it would become all Austin College from there, as the 'Roos scored nine unanswered to close out the game.

Aubrey Pasky scored to even things up and Kalissa Niles tallied to put Austin College ahead 3-2, with Lauren Olivier finding the back of the cage to cap a three-goal period for Austin College as the 'Roos went into halftime leading 4-2. The 'Roos carried that momentum into the third quarter, outscoring Wittenberg 3-0 to make it a 7-2 game, and three more goals for Austin College in the fourth made it a 10-2 final. Olivier and Alyssa Ross each scored twice to lead the 'Roos, and Erin McCormack had 11 saves.

In the second game of the day, McGrath scored four of Austin College's seven goals in the win over Macalester as the 'Roos went on top 4-2 in the opening quarter and carried a 6-3 lead into halftime. McGrath's goal in the third was Austin College's lone tally in the second half, making it a 7-3 game, and the 'Roos would need that score as Macalester responded with three in a row to pull to within 7-6 in the fourth. Austin College managed to keep Macalester out of the net over the game's final four minutes to secure the win. McCormack had nine saves and a pair of steals for Austin College, and Ross added four steals to pace the 'Roos defensively.