(ST. PETERS, Mo., Mar. 27) – The McKendree University women's water polo team went a perfect 4-0 in Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Midwest Division play over the weekend. Sunday the Bearcats defeated the University of Notre Dame 14-10, and Lindenwood University 14-12.
 
GAME ONE
The Bearcats first took on the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 9:40 a.m. on Sunday. McKendree took a 4-2 lead after the first quarter, with freshman attacker Valerie Sorondo (Orlando, FL/Lake Nona High School) and freshman center defender Tiana Wilson ( Orange County, CA/Mt. San Antonio College) each finding the back of the net twice. The Bearcats continued to score in the second quarter with freshman center Kate Eckert (Bainbridge, WA/Bainbridge Island High School) netting one goal, and freshman utility player Victoria Jones (Lodi, CA/Tokay High School) scoring twice to give McKendree a 7-3 lead over Notre Dame heading into halftime. Wilson opened up the scoring after halftime for her third goal of the game, extending the Bearcats lead to 8-3. Junior attacker Sabrina Sherrin (San Jose, CA/West Valley Junior College) gave McKendree its ninth goal of the game, followed up by two goals from freshman attacker Brianna Mullalley (Chula Vista, CA/Eastlake High School) giving the Bearcats a lead of 11-6 heading into the final quarter. The Fighting Irish gave a strong push in the fourth quarter scoring four goals, but the Bearcats received goals from Mullalley, Jones, and freshman attacker Catie Young (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Los Osos High School) to take a 14-10 victory over Notre Dame.
 
GAME TWO
McKendree's second game of the day came against Lindenwood University at 1:10 p.m. The Bearcats came out strong in the first quarter, taking a 6-3 lead after the first seven minutes of play. Eckert opened the scoring for the Bearcats, followed up by three goals for Mullalley, and one goal each from Jones and Sherrin. McKendree outscored Lindenwood in the second quarter 3-1, to take a 9-4 lead into halftime. In the quarter Mullalley rifled two goals past the Lions goaltender and Sherrin netted her second of the game. The third quarter saw just one goal from the Bearcats, as Sherrin beat the Lindenwood goalie. However, Lindenwood added four markers in the quarter to make it a two goal game with the score at 10-8 in favor of McKendree. Each team netted four goals in the fourth quarter, with the Bearcats goals coming from Sherrin, Sorondo, and two from Mullalley. The Bearcats were able to defeat Lindenwood by a final score of 14-12.
 
STATS
McKendree netted 28 goals on the afternoon and 68 total on the weekend, allowing just 23 goals against on the weekend. Mullalley led the team in goals over the weekend with 19 of her own, including seven in the game against Notre Dame. Sherrin was just behind her with 16 total goals on the weekend. Jones netted nine goals of her own, Eckert found the back of the net seven times, and Wilson, Young, and Sorondo each had five markers on the weekend.
 
The Bearcats are now 7-1 in CWPA Midwest Division play, claiming the No. 2 seed at the Midwest Division Championships in Notre Dame, Ind. on April 22^nd. The team is back in action for the first home contest on April 8^th at noon against Mercyhurst University at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O'Fallon, Ill.