Indiana University Athletics
IU Comes Back to Down UCI
2/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
"It is good that we keep finding ways to win," Indiana head coach Barry King said. "We need to start the game stronger than we did today. We will not be able to spot teams three goals and win very often. I was pleased with the effort the girls gave from the second quarter on."
The Canadian duo of freshman Kristin Zernicke and sophomore Janis Pardy hooked up to help the Hoosiers knock off the Anteaters. After UC-Irvine had a shot tipped high with the score tied at five, Pardy stole the ball and led Zernicke down the pool with a pass. Zernicke was met by a UCI defender in the four-meter, spun and scored into the lower left corner of the goal. It put the Hoosiers up 6-5 with just 51.7 seconds remaining. The assist was Pardy's second of the game and four of the season, while Zernicke netted her third tally of the year.
The Hoosiers fell behind early with UC-Irvine scoring the first three goals of the game. Indiana struggled in the first period of play with turnovers and offensive fouls. Indiana did not attempt a shot in the first period and Irvine led 2-0. Less than a minute into the second period, Irvine extended its lead to three.
Indiana finally found the scoring column on their first shot of the game at the 5:42 mark of the second period. Sophomore Emily Schmitt netted the goal with IU on the six-on-five advantage. Zernicke assisted on the goal as Schmitt scored her second of the year.
The Hoosiers kept the intensity up as they scored two goals in the next three minutes. Senior Melissa Pietras found the back of the net at the 4:49 mark, while junior Krista Peterson scored just two minutes later to send IU to the half tied at three.
After Irvine again took the lead at 4-3 in the third period, Peterson scored again with just under a minute remaining in the period to knot it up. Peterson's two goals on the day upped her team-lead to seven.
Indiana took its first lead of the game just 15 seconds into the fourth on a four-meter goal. Schmitt pass to Pardy, who fed the ball into the two-meter to junior Kandace Waldthaler. Waldthaler got on the inside of her defender and drew the four-meter foul giving the Hoosiers a penalty shot. Waldthaler took the shot for the Hoosiers and remained a perfect on four-meter shots scoring into the upper left corner.
Irvine responded to even the match at five just 45 seconds later with 6:01 remaining in the match. The Anteaters scored just as Indiana got back to full strength after going down on a kickout.
Both Irvine and Indiana had opportunities in the fourth. Following a kickout on sophomore Bridget McKeon, Irvine had the six-on-five advantage. Junior goalkeeper Jessica Goldner came up with a huge save on a driving shot. For the game, Goldner had a season-best 11 saves, while facing 22 shots.
The Hoosiers had three consecutive possessions and shots in the fourth. Zernicke sent a shot just over the crossbar with under three minutes remaining. Irvine was then whistled for an offensive foul, allowing the Hoosiers to regain possession. Pardy took the next shot for IU and it hit the crossbar. Peterson regained the ball of the rebound, and Waldthaler drew a kickout to put the Hoosiers on the six-on-five advantage. But like the previous two shots the Hoosiers were denied as Pardy's skip shot was saved with 1:44 remaining in the match. That set the stage for Pardy and Zernicke's late-game heroics.
Pardy and Zernicke each finished with a pair of assists for the Hoosiers. Schmitt also had an assist for the Hoosiers, her second of the year. Zernicke led IU in steals with three, while Peterson, Pietras, McKeon and Schmitt each had two.
The Hoosiers will continue the UCSD Arena Invitational tonight with a match up against No. 4 Long Beach State. The winner will advance to face the winner of No. 5 Loyal Marymount and No. 17 UC-San Diego tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.
