Nicky Jasbon

GROVE CITY, Pa.  -- Kristin Lampley (Jr., Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) recorded a second half hat-trick with a solo marker in the third period and a pair in the fourth period as the Connecticut College Camels pulled away for a 6-3 victory over the Macalester College Scots in the first round of the 2012 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championship at Grove City College's Longnecker Competition Pool.

The upset victory by the No. 5 seed Camels over the No. 4 seed Scots advances Connecticut to a 7:30 p.m. meeting witth either No. 9-nationally ranked/No. 1 seed Grove City College or No. 8 seed Chatham University in the tournament semifinals.  Macalester, which hosted the Division III tournament a year ago, will meet No. 9 seed Pennsylvania State University-Behrend at 6:00 p.m. with a berth for a meeting against the loser of the GCC-Chatham game in a 9:00 p.m. contest at stake.

Down 3-1 with 2:54 remaining in the third period, the Camels picked up the pace to reel off a 5-0 run to the game's final buzzer, including a 4-0 scoring spurt in the fourth period to take command.

Lampley started the run for Connecticut by pumping her defender into the air before shooting over the descending player at 1:09 of the third period to pull the Camels to within 3-2 through 24 minutes of action.

Needing to stop the Scots' scorers and put away the equalizer to knot the game-up, Lampley responded again by cashing in on an ejection to Macalester's Adrienne Burgin (Fr., Walnut Creek, Calif./Acalanes) at the 6:59 mark by depositing a shot past goalie Anya Phillips (Fr., Geneva, Fla./Oviedo) at 6:48.

Connecticut struck again nearly two and a half minutes later when Megan Wright (Jr., Manahattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) shook her defender and uncorked a sinking shot that eluded Kaulas to put the Camels in front at 4-3. 

Needing some insurance on the flimsy one-marker lead, Emily Hunter (Sr., Cheshire, Conn./Choate Rosemary Hall) answered the call by swimming around her defender and accepting a pass in front of the cage to build the margin to 5-3. 

Lampley completed the scoring 30 seconds later with her fourth and final strike of the afternoon for the 6-3 final score.

The game was a defensive struggle throughout its 32 minutes as neither team could solve the other's defense for the majority of the first half.

Kate Jacobson (Fr., Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) struck first to put the Camels on the board early when she converted on a man-up chance with 1:03 showing on the first period clock for the only marker of the opening frame.

Macalester answered with 3:18 left in the first half as Sarah Shoemaker (Fr., Saratoga, Calif./St. Francis) swished a shot on an extra-man chance with 3:18 remaining in the second period to knot the game at one-all by halftime.

The Scots poured it on in the dawning moments of the third period as Burgin scored on a man-up opportunity (4:36) and at even-strength (2:54) to take a 3-1 lead.

However, Lampley responded at 1:09 to ignite Connecticut's offense for a come-from-behind victory.

The win avenges a loss by Connecticut (8-9, 7-4 CWPA Division III ) to Macalester (7-12, 6-5 CWPA Division III) during the regular season as the Scots picked up a 14-11 victory in the only 2012 meeting of the two programs.

In cage, Pam Lovejoy (Jr., Guilford, Conn./Hopkins School) registered nine stops in the victorious effort, while Kaulas notched eight saves in taking the loss.

Macalester Goals: Adrienne Burgin (2); Sarah Shoemaker

Connecticut Goals: Kristin Lampley (3); Megan Wright; Kate Jacobson; Emily Hunter

Saves: Macalester - Anya Phillips (8) ; Connecticut - Pam Lovejoy (9)

Exclusions: Macalester - 7 ; Connecticut - 9

Advantage Opportunities: Macalester - 2-for-9 ; Connecticut - 2-for-7

Sprints: Macalester - 3-for-4 (Second, Third, Fourth) ; Connecticut - 1-for-4 (First)

Cards: None

Officials: JT Wall, Kent Chung 

Macalester College goalie Anya Phillips goes for a save over Connecticut College's Emily Hunter