Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Augustana Vikings women's water polo team earned their first two wins of the season on Saturday, winning both games on day one of the Macalester Invite. The Vikings defeated the VMI Keydets by a score of 16-13 before holding on for a 9-8 win over the Ottawa (Ariz.) Spirit.

Game One (W 16-13 vs. VMI)

Augie fell behind early in their opening matchup with the Keydets. Facing a 3-0 deficit, the Vikings saw a goal from Casey Barragan, her first as a Viking, to put the team on the board. Scores from Lauren Dickinson and Victoria Guest brought the score to 5-3 in favor of VMI after eight minutes of action. 

The Keydets grabbed the first two goals of the second period to cushion their lead to their largest of the contest at 7-3. Four straight scores from the Vikings evened the game right before halftime, but a late score from VMI made it an 8-7 game at the break. Barragan notched three of the four goals in the frame, while Charlotte Newport tallied the first of two in the contest. After allowing the first goal of the second half, two straight scores from Barragan gave Augie their first lead, following it up with another Newport score to give the Vikings a 10-9 leading heading into the final frame.

After the two teams traded scores to begin the fourth, Barragan and Jillian Hagmann connected on back-to-back goals to give the Vikings a three-goal advantage. The game went even the rest of the way as Augustana held on by the same margin at 16-13.

Barragan secured seven goals in the win in just her second game with Augustana. Ocean Akau also added three goals in the second half to help the Vikings seal the win.

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Game Two (W 9-8 vs. Ottawa)

In their second contest of the day, the Vikings and Spirit played a more defensive battle than what Augie encountered their first time out. Following an Ottawa goal to begin the game Newport notched a score to even things up before the Spirit took a 2-1 lead into the second. Ottawa doubled up Augustana in the second, outscoring the Vikings 2-1 again to make it 4-2 heading into halftime. Akau tallied the lone score in the quarter for the Vikings.

Augie held a slight advantage in the third quarter to pull within one heading into the fourth. Newport added her second goal of the game in the frame, while Dickinson and Guest also hit the back of the net to keep the Vikings within striking distance. Augustana started the fourth with consecutive scores to snag their first lead before Ottawa tied it up at seven points apiece with five minutes remaining. Two goals from Newport and Akau tallied the eighth and ninth goal for the team, fending off a late push from Ottawa to hold on for the one-point win.

With the victories, Augustana improves to 2-1 on the season. The team will continue action in St. Paul on Sunday vs. Caltech and Carthage.