ST. PAUL, Minn. - McKendree University women's water polo went 4-0 at the Macalester Invitational this past weekend hosted by Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. The Bearcats improve to 5-4 on the season as they prepare to host Carthage College this coming weekend.
McKendree began the weekend with a 16-9 win over Ottawa University (Ariz.) before defeating host Macalaster College 14-9 on Saturday. On Sunday, the Bearcats faced Virginia Military Institute, posting a 16-8 win and finishing the sweep against Caltech with a dominating 21-4 victory.
Against Ottawa, McKendree was led in scoring by graduate student attacker Jaleh Moaddeli who netted five of the Bearcats' 16 goals on the day while fifth-year senior center defender Danielle Borelli added three goals including two power play goals. Additionally, senior utility player Katelyn Rodrigue and freshman center Megan Morris each dished out two assists.
Defensively, senior attacker Courtney Smith and freshman attacker Johanna Rebelo collected a team-high three steals a piece in the win. Sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Kane held the net for the Bearcats, snagging 11 saves and dishing out three assists.
In the 14-9 victory over Macalester, Moaddeli had a presence on both the offensive and defensive ends for the Bearcats once again, finding the back of the net six times in the contest and grabbing a team-high five steals. Kane added seven more saves for her total for the weekend in addition to two steals.
McKendree grabbed its third win of the weekend over Virginia Military Institute with a score of 16-8. Fifth-year senior center and last week's Western Water Polo Association Player of the Week Abigail Burton and Smith tabbed three goals each to lead the Bearcats' scoring efforts. Moaddeli, Burton, and sophomore center Sofia Dominguez combined for 10 assists while Moaddeli topped the steals column with her second consecutive five-steal game.
Kane held VMI to just eight goals with 11 saves and tied Moaddeli for a team-high five steals.
Against Caltech, Rebelo and freshman center Jenna Wolf fired four goals a piece in addition to three goals from Burton en route to a 21-4 win over the Beavers. Moaddeli and Murphy controlled the assists for the McKendree, each tallying three while seven more Bearcats recorded one assist in the victory.
Rebelo also led McKendree on the defensive end with a team-high five steals.
Kane and junior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Kasper helped the Bearcats to their fifth consecutive game holding opponents to single-digit scoring as the two combined for 15 saves.
Coming up, McKendree will be at home on Saturday, Feb. 25 as they host Carthage College in a 2 p.m. game
