What women's water polo coach Peter Ollis wouldn't give for four more goals after dropping a pair of games by a single goal at Macalester Saturday and Sunday.
     
The Scots got off to a slow start for the weekend, despite a rapid fire first quarter in Saturday's opening match with Austin College. Monmouth took a quick two-goal lead on scores from Becca Dabrowski and Miranda Pasky, but the 'Roos answered and by the end of the first period, the teams were locked in a 6-6 slugfest. Monmouth's offense then went cold, scoring just three times in the second and third periods as Austin pulled away to sink the Scots 14-9.
     
It was another early lead in the second game, a 15-14 loss to Wittenberg. Dabrowski scored three times in the first eight minutes to stake the Scots to a 5-3 first quarter lead before the Tigers blanked Monmouth in the second quarter to trail 5-4 at the intermission. Wittenberg then poured in six, third quarter goals and held off the Scots' fourth quarter rally.
     
Monmouth's offense and defense was clicking on Day 2 when the Scots rolled past Carthage 13-5 in the opener. Skylar Rapp scored two goals as four different players found the net en route to a 5-0 lead early in the second period. The Lady Reds closed the gap to 7-4 by the half, but never got closer than the three-goal margin.
     
The weekend ended with another one-goal loss, this time to host Macalester who led nearly all the way to hang a 12-11 loss on Monmouth. Trailing by one with six seconds to play, Monmouth got off one last shot that sailed high ending a chance at overtime.
     
Monmouth heads south April 6-7 for the McKendree Tournament, the last warmup before the CWPA Championships in New London, Conn., April 12-14.