Hoosiers Dominate UCSD<br> - Indiana University Athletics

Hoosiers Dominate UCSD

2/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo

San Diego, Calif. -- The Indiana water polo team won in dominating fashion over No. 17 UC-San Diego on day two of the UCSD Arena Invitational, 8-1. The Hoosiers jumped out to a 6-0 advantage before the Tritons were able to get on the board. No. 10 IU improves to 4-2 on the year, while picking up their second victory over UC-San Diego.

"I am very pleased with the way we played on the defensive end," Indiana head coach Barry King said. " I thought that was all together our best performance of the year. We were consistent offensively and aggressive defensively. It was a good, solid team effort."

The Hoosiers weathered a storm of kickouts in the first period. The Hoosiers emerged from the first period of play with a 1-0 advantage following a goal by freshman Kristin Zernicke. Zernicke netted the goal from the top of the perimeter off the pass from Sophomore Emily Schmitt on the left side. Through the majority of the first period, the Hoosier defense was forced to play a man down due to kickouts. The defense was up to the task though as the Hoosiers held the Tritons scoreless for the entire first half.

Indiana broke the game wide open in the second period as they scored three goals to take a 4-0 lead into the half. Junior Krista Peterson netted a pair in the period. The first goal came off the assist from sophomore Janis Pardy and the second from Zernicke with the six-on-five advantage. Senior Melissa Pietras sandwiched a goal in the middle of Peterson's pair off the assist from sophomore Clare Meadows.

Pietras extended the Hoosier lead even more to 6-0 scoring a pair of goals in the first three minutes of the third period. She scored her second goal of the match off the assist from Zernicke just 43 seconds into the second half. Pietras then netted her third goal as she recovered an arrant pass, drove in and scored to the left side of the net. Her three goals on the day were one short of her career-best of four, but were a season-best.

Following UC-San Diego's only goal of the match with the six-on-five advantage at the 3:35 mark of the third period, the Hoosiers notched the final two goals of the match in the two-meter. Junior Kandace Waldthaler scored just 20 seconds after the Tritons goal to push the Hoosier lead back to six at 7-1. Sophomore Bridget McKeon fed the ball into Waldthaler at the two-meter position. She spun around her defender and scored her fourth goal of the season and third of the Invitational. Waldthaler also finished the day with four kickouts drawn to lead the Hoosiers.

Peterson tacked on the Hoosiers final goal with just 10 seconds remaining in the match. Schmitt picked up her second assist of the match as she fed the ball into Peterson, who scored for the third time in the game. With the three goals, Peterson now has a team-leading 12 on the year. She equaled a season best of three, which she also scored against UC-San Diego earlier this season at the Michigan Invitational.

Junior goalkeeper Jessica Goldner was once again tremendous between the pipes. Goldner finished with nine saves, including three with UCSD on the six-on-five advantage. She held UCSD to one goal, which is the lowest output by an IU opponent since Princeton only scored once in the semifinals of the Eastern Championships last season.

McKeon led the way in steals for the Hoosiers with three, while Schmitt and freshman Claire Nicholson each picked off two. Every Hoosier played in the match against the Tritons as IU defeated UCSD for the second time this season. The two victories over the Tritons are the first for the Hoosiers' against the San Diego school in IU history.

The Hoosiers will return to action tonight when they take on No. 11 UC-Santa Barbara in the last match of the 2004 UC-San Diego Arena Invitational. The match is set for 6:00 p.m. PST at the Canyonview Pool on the campus of UC-San Diego. The last time the two teams met, the Hoosiers were victorious, 9-7 in the Championship match of the Princeton Invitational.