NORTON, Mass. -- The Augustana Vikings women's water polo team fell to the Carthage Firebirds on Saturday by a score of 12-10 in the semifinal round of the CWPA Championships.

The teams traded shots in the opening quarter before Carthage grabbed two straight goals to take the lead. Both teams put up successful shots in the final 30 seconds, but the Firebirds held the advantage at 4-2. The Vikings' goals came from Anais Jones and Waiahuli Akau in the first eight minutes of play. 

In the second, Maya Biela scored first before the Firebirds found two more to make a 6-3 game. At 2:09, Elly Jo Fay found the back of the cage to get within two, but Carthage scored with 26 seconds left in the first half to create a 7-3 game.

Returning from the break, Augie outscored Carthage 3-2 with Jones firing first. The Firebirds followed before Jones and Braelyn Hill tallied a successful shot to even the game at 7-7. The teams traded shots in the final three minutes of the third quarter, with Hailey Sherman notching a goal with 17 seconds on the clock to make the score 9-8 entering the final eight minutes of play.

In the fourth, Carthage fired three straight goals to take the four-point upper hand with 2:27 on the clock. With two minutes remaining in the game, Blezien found a successful attempt before Cindy King secured the final goal, but Augie fell short by a score of 12-10.

Eight Vikings scored in the game, with Jones leading with three apiece, while Sherman notched three assists and Hill and Susan Palmentera-Reid collected three steals. In the cage, Palmentera-Reid blocked nine shot attempts.

With the loss, Augie moves to 16-9 on the season and 5-4 in conference play. The Vikings will be back in action tomorrow for the third-place game against Grove City.