Box Score ROCK ISLAND -- The No. 5 ranked Augustana Vikings women's water polo team earned a third-place finish at the USA Water Polo DIII National Championship on Sunday, defeating the No. 8 ranked Austin 'Roos by a score of 10-3 inside Anne Greve Lund Natatorium.

For the second consecutive season, the two teams squared off at nationals on Sunday, with the 'Roos posting an early advantage after scoring the first two goals of the game. Austin took their 2-0 lead into the second, but was met by an Augustana score halfway through the period as Annie Opal Dickson got the Vikings on the board. The goal sparked a 5-0 scoring run for Augie, with four of them coming in the second quarter on their way to a 4-2 halftime lead. Victoria Guest notched the equalizing point at the 2:37 mark in the frame, followed by two scores with under a minute to go from Charlotte Newport and Casey Barragan.

Barragan snagged the fifth point of the scoring surge early in the third, but the 'Roos halted the momentum with a tally at 3:09. The Vikings earned one more point before the end of the third from Carli Udovich to double up the score over Austin at 6-3 entering the final eight minutes of play. Augustana outscored the visitors 4-0 to close out the game, wrapping up their season with a 10-3 win and third straight victory over their conference rival. 

Barragan and Udovich led the offensive efforts for the Vikings, each tallying three goals apiece on their way to All-Tournament team selections. Ocean Akau was the team leader in assists with two, while Lizzie Pelzman earned the win in net with 16 saves and three steals.

With the victory, Augustana ends the year with a 17-6 record. The team finished plus-eight in the win column from a season ago and improves on their fourth-place standing at nationals in 2022 with a third-place finish in 2023.