ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - The second-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's water polo team came back from a three-goal deficit to top-ranked Pomona-Pitzer on Sunday afternoon in the finals of the USA Water Polo Division III Championships and had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but ended up falling 9-8 at the Anne Greve Lund Natatorium on the campus of Augustana College. 

With the defeat CMS finishes with a 20-11 overall record and ends as the national runner up for the third season in a row, including an overtime defeat in 2023 the last time it met the Sagehens at Augustana. 

The Athenas were down 9-7 with a minute to go, but Elise Power scored with 45 seconds left to being her team within one. After a shot clock violation, CMS called timeout to try to set up the tying goal and were able to get a good look from the right side as time expired, but Pomona-Pitzer goalie Zosia Amberger made the big fingertip save to preserve the one-goal win. 

CMS led 4-3 at the half, before Pomona-Pitzer seized momentum after intermission with four goals in a row to take a 7-4 lead. Just when it felt like the Sagehens were taking control, Grace Clark scored on two straight possessions for the Athenas to make it a 7-6 game. 

The Sagehens answered back with a goal to start the fourth, but Jordan LaCour scored her third to close the gap to 8-7 and set up the dramatic finish. 

CMS got off to a fantastic start in the first quarter, taking a 3-0 lead behind two goals from LaCour and one from Tatum Dwyer. Mason Spencer had five saves during the frame, including one on a penalty shot to keep the Sagehens off the scoreboard until their final attempt of the first closed the gap to 3-1. 

The Athenas graduate just two seniors off of this year's squad, Elise Power and Dara Schoolcraft, as they will try to pursue a return trip to the USA Water Polo Championships next year.