ROCK ISLAND -- The Augustana Vikings women's water polo team fell to the No. 2 ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas on Saturday in the USA Water Polo national semifinal by a score of 14-5.

In a low-scoring opening quarter, the Athenas notched the first two goals of the game before Augie countered with the final strike of the frame on a shot by Waiahuli Akau. Neither team found the back of the net in the final 2:47 to keep it a 2-1 lead for CMS entering the second. The visitors had an explosive second period, scoring seven times while holding Augie two just a pair of goals. Charlotte Newport and Jersey Merrick each contributed points for Augustana, but the Athenas led 9-3 at the halftime break. 

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps pulled away with a 4-1 margin in the third to create a 13-4 contest with just eight minutes left to play. Abigail Gatlin collected the lone goal for Augustana in the quarter before Akau's second tally of the evening accounted for the last goal for the Vikings. CMS added one more to its total in the fourth to seal the 14-5 final score.

With the loss, Augustana drops to 15-9 overall. The team will be back in action tomorrow for the third-place game vs. No. 7 Washington & Jefferson.