Water polo competes in CWPA DIII matchups
By Reagan Thomas · Staff Writer
The Grove City College women’s water polo team faced a challenging double-header Saturday at Carthage College, competing in a pair of Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III contests. Despite strong individual efforts and stretches of disciplined play, the Wolverines came up short in both outings, falling to Austin College 16-7 before dropping a 14-6 decision to host Carthage.
Grove City opened the day against a fast‑paced Austin squad, with sophomore Frances Baksa setting the tone offensively. Baksa tallied three goals and added three assists, factoring into the majority of the Wolverines’ scoring chances. She credited her success to the team’s chemistry and trust within the offense.
“I was able to find my rhythm through the trust of my team. I have a very distinct style of play that my teammates have learned to work with and use to our advantage. They trusted me with the ball, which allowed me to produce offensive opportunities,” Baksa said.
Junior Shastyn Tihansky continued her strong form with two goals, while senior Kiley Sill and sophomore Emma Strahorn each found the back of the net to round out Grove City’s scoring.
Defensively, the Wolverines remained active throughout the contest. Tihansky led the effort with five steals, while Strahorn added four. Baksa and senior goalkeeper Lea Steen each recorded two takeaways. Steen anchored the defense with 10 saves, battling through heavy shot volume to keep Grove City competitive.
“Against Austin, we were really looking to stop them from making quick moves down the pool. If we stopped that, we were generally successful. I was trying to prevent good passes from getting off, and I was able to block a few shots that turned into steals for us,” Baksa said.
Freshman Amelia Hervey added an assist in the opener, continuing to establish herself as a reliable young contributor.
In the second matchup against Carthage, Grove City stayed within reach through three quarters, before the hosts used a decisive 5-0 fourth‑quarter run to pull away. Tihansky led the Wolverines with three goals, giving her six on the day, while Baksa, Hervey and Strahorn each added a goal.
Sill provided veteran leadership with three assists, and Hervey added another helper as her confidence continued to grow in her freshman season.
Defensively, Tihansky and freshman Emily Addison each recorded three steals, while Steen made three saves and remained vocal in organizing the defense.
“We have a very small team and only one sub, so it’s hard to maintain pressure when the opposition can rotate fresh players. They beat us down the pool on counterattacks, which led to power‑play opportunities and goals. But overall, we learned a lot from that game and will be ready to face them again if we have to,” Baksa said.
While the Wolverines did not leave Carthage with a win, the day highlighted the team’s growth, emerging depth and continued development across the roster.
The Wolverines return to action at 4 p.m. tomorrow, traveling to Erie, Pa. to play Penn State Behrend.
