IU Drops a Heartbreaker

3/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - As a coach, or so we can only imagine, what do you say to your team after a game like this? Do you even use words? When you shrug with palms open, are you doing it because you are in disbelief and simply don't know what to say, or because both you and your girls need a hug? Questions. Nothing but questions, and unfortunately for the Indiana women's water polo team, there are still no answers.

What the Indiana players do know, and what they can take from this, is in fact, a sense of security. Hoosier coach Barry King said so.

"The girls don't deserve this," he said. "The girls deserved the game. They will never forget this. This will make them better."

Still one can only ask why. Why did it have to end like this? Why does this keep happening to a team whose smiles are the only things bigger than their hearts?

The No. 12 Hoosiers dropped yet another heartbreaking loss, falling 9-7 in double overtime to their rival Michigan in a game Saturday night that clearly belonged to the Hoosiers.

After ending the first seven minutes with a 1-1 tie - the lone Hoosier goal coming from senior Kristin Stanford - IU went on a rampage at the Canham Natatorium scoring an unanswered four goals to take a 5-1 lead at halftime.

Stanford put the Hoosiers up at the 5:35 mark in the second, only to be backed up by freshman Bridget McKeon, Emily Schmitt and Ginger Wang goals.

At the 3:56 mark in the second period, freshman Courtney Livak battled in front of the cage, recovering her own shot and then out-swimming the Michigan defender to regain possession. Livak's fight led to McKeon's goal just seconds later on that possession.

Schmitt's goal resulted from a dominant drive by the Beaverton, Ore., native, which ended with a tip to herself and a punch shot into the lower left corner of the cage.

Everything was so right. The Hoosiers, now winless against Michigan in their last 12 games (0-11-1), appeared that they were finally going to overcome adversity and defeat the one team that has haunted their past.

Quickly out of halftime, Michigan answered with back-to-back goals from Casey Kerney and Delia Sonda. IU junior Melissa Pietras stopped the wound for the Hoosiers, by recovering a Kristy Streefkerk shot off the hands of Wolverine All-American goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong. Pietras' first shot was immediately stuffed back into her, but the Hudsonville, Mich., native didn't quit - just like the rest of the Hoosiers all night. Pietras stormed back to the ball and floated a lob directly over Armstrong's outreached hands for a 6-3 Hoosier lead.

But just as the case in past IU/Michigan rivalry games, controversy would soon ensue.

With just under 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter, sophomore Krista Peterson caught an elbow to the face, immediately opening her up. Amazingly, no foul was called on the Wolverines and Sheetal Narsai netted a Michigan goal as time expired. Not only was King outraged by the no-call, but the clock had expired without the sounding of a horn. Immediately after the ball landed past Hoosier goalie Jessica Goldner, the manual air horn was blown. King quickly pointed out that no time remained on the clock and the goal should not have counted. The goal however, was allowed, putting the Wolverines within two at 6-4.

Peterson was examined by the medical staff after the game and was given treatment to a cut under her right eye, and two stitches to her upper lip.

At the start of the fourth quarter though, Stanford and Livak appeared to have put the Hoosiers back in position, with goals at 6:10 and 3:51, respectively.

Narsai would strike back for the Maize and Blue with two goals in the final 2:42 to notch the game at 7-7, and send the Hoosiers and Wolverines into their sixth overtime game in the all-time series. Last year, the Hoosiers lost a five-overtime 8-7 battle to Michigan at the CWPA Eastern Championships.

McKeon was called for a 4-meter penalty with 39 seconds remaining, which resulted in the tying goal.

With no scoring in the first of two three-minute overtimes, Michigan's Julie Nisbet found the back of the net to put the Wolverines in front for their first lead of the game. Finally, with the game in hand, Narsai once again found the back of the net as time expired for the 9-7 outcome.

The loss snaps the nine-game win streak for the Hoosiers, and now drops them to 2-1 in the conference. The eight conference games that the Hoosiers will play this season are key for seeding in the Divisional and Eastern Championships.

Earlier in the afternoon, Indiana advanced to 2-0 in the conference with a decisive 20-3 win over Mercyhurst. Freshman Clare Meadows punched in her third and final goal as time expired in the fourth period. That 20th goal tied a school record for team goals in a game - a mark that the Hoosiers have not reached since April 4, 1998. Indiana's 24 steals were one shy of the school record as well.

Against Mercyhurst, Peterson led the Cream & Crimson with four goals on five shots. Meadows followed with her three, and Stanford, McKeon, and Sharna Nelson, all netted two goals each.

The Hoosiers opened conference play Saturday morning with a 15-1 victory over Penn State-Behrend. Against the Lions, freshman Courtney Thom netted a career-high four goals on six shots. Ann Arbor native, senior Jamie Marley, tied a career high with three assists. Three other freshmen, Rachel Lowe, Livak, and Meadows, also notched a career highs in steals, as the trio led the Hoosiers with three each.

Indiana will look to move to 3-1 in the conference tomorrow, as the Hoosiers face Washington & Jefferson at 10:45 a.m.