Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Tops Santa Barbara, 9-7
2/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
And it did.
Indiana (7-4) completed the Princeton Invite a perfect 4-0, by capping off the weekend tournament with a 9-7 win over No. 10 UC-Santa Barbara. The win marks the second time in the history of IU water polo, that the 13th-ranked Hoosiers defeated a top-ten ranked opponent. Indiana topped No. 7 San Jose State 10-8 earlier this year at the Michigan Invitational.
The win also marked the first time the Hoosiers have defeated UCSB in the four-game all-time series between the two.
"I was very pleased with how we played today," said Indiana head coach Barry King. "It was so important for us, especially coming off last week at Stanford, to compete tough and beat a West coast team. I feel that we establish ourselves while we were out here. Leaving here 4-0 on the weekend is something we really were focused on doing."
For the fourth time in her stellar career, and second time this year, senior All-American Kristin Stanford tied the school record with six goals in a game. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native, who eclipsed the 200-career goal mark in the Harvard game earlier on Sunday, was 6-of-8 shooting against the Gauchos.
In a back-and-forth game, the Hoosiers and UCSB swapped leads with almost every goal scored. After Indiana opened with a 2-1 lead heading into the second quarter, UCSB scored a quick two goals, but were quickly answered with two goals from the Cream and Crimson.
Freshman Courtney Livak found the back of the net with just 0:02 seconds remaining in the first half, to give Indiana a 4-3 advantage at half.
After trading goals in the third quarter and throughout the first two minutes of the fourth, the Hoosiers and Gauchos found themselves tied at 7-7. But the day belonged to Stanford, as she netted Indiana's two final goals in the fourth minute of the final quarter, clinching the win for the Hoosiers.
Junior Melissa Pietras contributed the Hoosiers' two additional goals, while sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Goldner stopped 6-of-12 shots on goal for IU.
Perhaps the Hoosiers toughest match of the day was battling the severe snowstorm on the East coast while trying to get back to Philadelphia to fly home. Upon arrival, Indiana was told the airport had been shutdown due to the 20 inches of snow the greater-Philadelphia area had received in just the latter half of Sunday.
Once Indiana returns home, the Hoosiers will stay there for a while. IU has the week off next week and will host Hartwick in the Indiana Invitational, March 1-2.
