MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - For the first time in program history, the women's water polo team is going on the national stage after capturing their first-ever WWPA Championship title against Biola University in the WWPA Championships tournament on Sunday, April 27th at the Peak Health Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown, West Virginia.
The win in the final of the conference tournament gives McKendree an automatic bid to the 2025 National Collegiate Water Polo Championships, which will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, from May 7th to May 11th. You can watch the Selection Show, revealing the tournament bracket and matchups, HERE at ncaa.com.
Score: McKendree University 7, Biola University 5
Record: Bearcats 21-7, 3-1 WWPA | Eagles 10-18, 4-0 WWPA
HOW IT HAPPENED
Much like in semifinal action, both teams took a few minutes to feel each other out and find gaps in the opposing defenses. Sophomore attacker Shanelle Márquez (Madrid, Spain) drew first blood via a power play possession, where she was able to sneak next to the left post and sling it right in.
42 seconds later, sophomore center Bella Morquecho (Chicago, Ill.) also found her way close to the net as she swung in the ball off a lob pass from junior attacker Dylan Murphy (Carlsbad, Calif.) and picked up where she left off with six goals in the match prior. Biola was able to get themselves on the board with just hair over 30 seconds left in the first quarter, putting the gap at one.
McKendree completely shut down the Eagle offense in the second period of play, not allowing anything to go through their end of the cage. In the process, the Bearcats enacted another 1-2 punch towards their West Coast opponent as fifth-year attacker Jasmin Guzman (Cicero, Ill.) flung in a high-arching shot that dropped in over the goalkeeper's head while freshman attacker Kaitlyn Goins (East Grand Rapids, Mich.) caught a deep pass from, again, Murphy to fire it straight in and extend the Bearcat lead to three.
With 1:57 remaining in the first half of action, Márquez wrestled her way inside to draw the 5-meter penalty to which she subsequently converted on to eventually take a commanding 5-1 lead heading into the extended break.
History would repeat itself in the opening minute of half number two as Márquez again drew the 5-meter penalty and again made do on the penalty shot to earn herself her fifth hat-trick of the season. Down by five, the Eagles would wake up and go on a 3-0 scoring tear in an accumulation of one minute and 17 seconds of play to put themselves behind McKendree by only a pair.
As time was winding down in the third quarter, McKendree needed to regain momentum. That would be found when junior attacker Joey Rebelo (Montreal, Québec) found the WWPA Newcomer of the Year in Morquecho once again in the hole to which she struck in her second goal of the game off a power play to hold a three-point edge.
Defense was the name of the game in the final period of regulation, as both sides broke up plays well, including two huge game-saving saves by the WWPA Player of the Year, senior goalkeeper Sydney Kane (Kankakee, Ill.). Biola with get a shot in with 3:54 left via their senior attacker Veralie Naranjo, who scored her fourth straight of the game.
Several more defensive plays made by Kane and the McKendree field stopped the Eagles from tacking on any more opportunities, giving the Bearcats the WWPA Championship win back to Lebanon.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
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McKendree held the Eagles to their fewest point total since Feb. 28th this year when they played the University of Michigan. This was also tied for the least against a WWPA opponent since (now-defunct) California State University, East Bay on March 11, 2022.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Four Bearcats were selected to the WWPA All-Tournament Team following the championship match:
Kane received Most Valuable Player by registering 32 saves and a trio of steals on a 68.1% save percentage. She led tournament in total saves (32), save percentage (68.1%), goals against average (7.50), and saves per game (16.0) as her total steals (3) and steals per game (1.5) were both top-seven.
Morquecho was one of two McKendree players with First Team All-Tournament honors, as she totaled eight goals, eight drawn exclusions, a steal, and a field block on 61.5% shooting. She led the tournament with total goals (8), goals per game (4.0), and sprint-win percentage (83.3%; 5-1) as her total points (8) and points per game (4.0) both placed in the top-six.
Rebelo was the other First Team All-Tournament selection, as she mustered a goal and four assists along with three drawn exclusions and five field blocks. Her total field blocks (5) were the most of anyone in the tournament, as her total assists (4) and assists per game (2.0) were both top-seven.
Guzman rounded out the accolades with Second Team All-Tournament honors, where she recorded a pair of goals and assists to go with six exclusions drawn on 50.0% shooting.
*The exhibition match versus the University of California, Merced does not officially count towards the players' statistics.
UP NEXT
McKendree will await their opponent for the upcoming National Collegiate Water Polo Championships tournament, which will be held at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana, from May 7th to May 11th.
You can watch the Selection Show, revealing the tournament bracket and matchups, HERE at ncaa.com.
Photos from this game, among other events, can be found on our official McKendree University Sports Information Flickr page by clicking HERE.
For more updates and information on Bearcat Athletics, please continue to visit McKBearcats.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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