SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The women's water polo team won with ease against Ottawa University (Ariz.) and DIII No.7 Macalester College in non-conference action at the Macalester Invitational on Saturday, February 15th, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 

MATCH ONE vs. Ottawa (Ariz.)

BOX SCORE 

Score: McKendree University 17, Ottawa University (Ariz.) 5 

Record: Bearcats 8-3, 0-0 WWPA | Spirit 0-1 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

It was all McKendree throughout the first quarter and midway through the second as the team struck in the game's first four goals with two of them coming from sophomore utility Hailey Munoz (Murrieta, Calif.). After OUAZ dropped inside their first goal of the contest shortly after, Bearcat junior attacker Joey Rebelo (Montreal, Québec) fired in two straight for her team before the Spirit put in one more before the break as McKendree would lead at halftime 6-2. 

Much like the first quarter, the third was again in the Bearcat's control as they began the second half of play with eight straight goals that bled into the final period of regulation. Within that run, Munoz notched her third goal of the match as Rebelo tacked on two more, and freshman utility Maisie Mattocks (Shutesbury, Mass.) scored her first two goals since getting two against UC Merced in their season opener. 

The Spirit stopped the McKendree spurt with their third goal of the game but was immediately responded to by sophomore center Bella Morquecho's (Chicago, Ill.) third goal of the contest, plus one from sophomore attacker Emma Dore (Pomona, Calif.). OUAZ put in two more scores in the final minutes of regulation before sophomore center Sarah Velazco (Miami, Fla.) drilled one in with just a second remaining in the game as the Bearcats would vanquish the Spirit 17-5. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Rebelo led McKendree with four goals on six shot attempts along with two assists and three steals. 

• Morquecho had a hat-trick of three goals with also three steals of her own. 

• Mattocks, Munoz, and Murphy each finished with a pair of goals as the latter two also had an assist each. 

• Although no goals in the game, junior attacker Jazmine Sandoval (Westminster, Calif.) supported her team in all other facets with two assists, three steals, and two drawn exclusions. 

• Sophomore attacker Shanelle Márquez (Madrid, Spain), came away with the team's season-high in assists with five along with a goal, a drawn exclusion, and two steals. 

• Bearcat senior goalkeeper Sydney Kane (Kankakee, Ill.) played in all 32 minutes and tallied 10 saves. 

• The team's collective 17 goals, 17 assists, 34 shot attempts, and 34 points are all a season-high. 

MATCH TWO vs. Macalester

BOX SCORE 

Score: McKendree University 10, Macalester College 5 

Record: Bearcats 9-3, 0-0 WWPA | Scots 0-2, 0-0 CWPA 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Macalester kicked things off in the second game of the day with the match's first goal from senior utility Kendall Coney at the 5:59 mark of the first period. McKendree received their first two goals of the game from Márquez, which would end the first quarter with them up by one. 

Morquecho and junior attacker Dylan Murphy (Carlsbad, Calif.) connected on the next two goals for the Bearcats until the Scots notched their second goal of the game. With two seconds to go until halftime, Sandoval fired in a goal to head into the extended break up 5-2. 

That score by Sandoval ignited what would be a 6-0 run that lasted all the way until the mid-fourth quarter as Morquecho got her third goal of the game for the hat trick as Rebelo again came into play for the Bearcats, scoring two goals within the span. 

Down by eight with just minutes remaining in regulation, Macalester tried to claw their way back but only managed to reel in three more goals with two from freshman utility Anna Gaisser with McKendree eventually winning their fourth straight, 10-5. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Rebelo and Morquecho each earned their second hat-trick of the day with three goals each on seven and six shot attempts respectively as the former had three assists and a steal while the latter had two steals. 

• Márquez stuffed the stat sheet with two goals, two assists, a drawn exclusion, and a steal. 

• Kane once again played in all 32 minutes of action as she came away with an abundant 15 saves. 

UP NEXT

Mckendree will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday, February 16th for day two of the Macalester Invitational as they will face Virginia Military Institute at 9:00 AM CT and then California Institute of Technology at 2:00 PM CT at the Riley Pool inside the Leonard Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 

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