SAINT PAUL, Minn. - The women's water polo team came away with two more victories against Virginia Military Institute and the California Institute of Technology in non-conference action on day two at the Macalester Invitational on Sunday, February 16th, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. 

MATCH ONE vs. VMI

BOX SCORE 

Score: McKendree University 11, Virginia Military Institute 9 

Record: Bearcats 10-3, 0-0 WWPA | Keydets 6-2, 0-0 MAAC 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

The first quarter saw nine combined goals from the two teams. VMI had the upper hand win the first five and a half minutes of action as they led narrowly 4-3 with two of them coming from their junior center defender Sadie Smith. Down but not out, McKendree sophomore center Bella Morquecho (Chicago, Ill.) notched a pair of goals inside in the final two minutes of the period to take the one-point lead. 

The Bearcats took the reins in the second period of play with junior attacker Joey Rebelo (Montreal, Québec) getting in two straight goals to increase their lead to three. However, the Keydets would respond on a mini 3-0 run that led into the majority of the third quarter with junior attacker Sydney Smith contributing on two of them. 

Rebelo took matters into her own hands as she went on a personal 3-1 run that went from midway third period to halfway through the final quarter of regulation as the Bearcats would lead 10-8. 

With 4:15 left to go in the game, VMI gave themselves one final push as their freshman center Makynna Smith struck one in to be down by only one. Yet, McKendree would seal the deal with junior attacker Jazmine Sandoval (Westminster, Calif.) getting the last goal to go in and win it for her squad, 11-9. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Rebelo led the way for McKendree with six goals on 10 attempts while also being a huge presence on the defensive end with two drawn exclusions, two steals, and a career-high three field blocks. Her three field blocks are the season-best amongst the team. 

• Morquecho notched her fourth consecutive hat-trick with three goals on eight shots plus an assist, a pair of drawn exclusions, and a team-high three steals. 

• Sandoval and fifth-year attacker Jasmin Guzman (Cicero, Ill.) each contributed on the other two goals as the former had two steals while the latter had an assist and one drawn exclusion. 

• Senior goalkeeper Sydney Kane (Kankakee, Ill.) had a season-high 18 saves in all 32 minutes of action inside the net. 

• The four accounted team field blocks and 18 saves are a season-high for the program. 

MATCH TWO vs. Caltech

BOX SCORE 

Score: McKendree University 17, California Institute of Technology 11 

Record: Bearcats 11-3, 0-0 WWPA | Beavers 0-5, 0-0 SCIAC 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Much like game in the game earlier in the day against VMI, it was a fulfilling first quarter with 10 goals scored within. Sandoval gave McKendree their first two scores of the match, which ignited a 5-1 start for the Bearcats as Morquecho came in and contributed on two as well in the run. Caltech responded shortly after with a 3-1 run on their end of the pool to stay in contention, down by two at 4-6 at the end of period number one. 

Morquecho and Sandoval would each score two on the Bearcats 4-1 run which lasted through the majority of the second period. The Beavers tacked on another one, hoping the game would not get away from them, but McKendree would go on another 5-1 run to extend their lead to eight. 

In the fourth and final quarter of play, Caltech gave it one more push by notching four goals within the period, but McKendree's two goals of their own made a good cushion to eventually win-out the Macalester Invitational, as they would win convincingly, 17-11. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• Morquecho now made it five straight outings with a hat-trick as she finished with five in this win on seven shot attempts. She also had a pair of assists, a drawn exclusion, and a field block. 

• Sandoval followed with four goals on a perfect four attempts with also two assists along with three steals and a drawn exclusion. 

• Rebelo and Guzman each ended with two goals as the former tallied two assists and two steals while the latter also contributed with a pair of assists. 

• Kane was in the cage for the first 16 minutes of play, where she collected a trio of saves along with a steal and a drawn exclusion. 

• Bearcat freshman goalkeeper Elizabeth Zurawski (San Antonio, Texas) played in the other 16 minutes, as she racked up a career-high five saves. 

• McKendree's 17 goals matched a season-high, as they put in the same amount against Ottawa University Arizona yesterday within the Macalester Invitational. 

• The team's six-game win streak is their best since last season when they won six straight from February 10th to February 18th, 2024. 

UP NEXT

McKendree will be back in action next weekend when they stay on the road to take on Carthage College for a second time this season on Saturday, February 22nd at the Koenitzer Aquatic Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin. 

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