The GW women’s water polo club beat the University of Richmond and Georgetown University, but lost to the University of Maryland and the University of Pennsylvania in a home tournament the team hopes will become an annual event.

GW opened the tournament with a 9-3 loss Friday to a talented team from Maryland, which has gone undefeated in two regional tournaments this season.

The team bounced back the next day to trounce Richmond 11-2. Jenni Binder led the Colonial women with four goals, two in each half. Captain Katy Rickard scored three goals, and Colleen Fisher and Carolyn Nelson both scored a pair of goals for GW. Goalie Reilly Starr had a stellar game for GW and did not allow a goal until the fourth period.

Against Penn Sunday morning, the Colonial women jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first quarter before the Quakers came back.

“We were all over them, and then we just collapsed,” head coach Van Hoffman said. “I still don’t know what happened. We really could have been 3-1 in the tournament.”

Penn got to GW for three goals in the second and third periods in cruising to an 8-4 victory. Rickard and Binder accounted for all of GW’s scoring in the game.

GW wrapped up the tournament with a convincing 12-3 win over Georgetown Sunday afternoon. Seven players scored for the Colonial women, led by three goals by Binder and two goals apiece from Fisher, Megan Stimpfle and Sarah Mente.

The weekend tournament was a success as an event as well, as the team hosted eight schools and coordinated the three-day event.

“I would do this every weekend if I could,” said Hoffman, who also believes that the club-level program is progressing very well.

“I am very happy that it’s April and I have 20 women coming and working out consistently since we’ve started this season,” Hoffman said. “Interest is high, and enthusiasm is high. The people that know the history of the club tell me this is the best the team has looked in a long time.”