IU Knocks off No. 11 UCSB<br> - Indiana University Athletics

IU Knocks off No. 11 UCSB

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

La Jolla, Calif. - In what has become a reoccurring theme through the first part of the 2004 season, the No. 10 Indiana water polo team fell behind, battled back and found a way to win. This time, the Hoosiers knocked off No. 11 UC-Santa Barbara in a thriller, 7-6 at the Canyonview Pool on Sunday night. Indiana capped off the UCSD Invitational 3-1 and are now 5-2 overall.

After taking a 5-4 lead following three straight goals by the Hoosiers, UC-Santa Barbara scored the next two to take a 6-5 lead with 4:30 remaining in the game. The Hoosiers responded as they have on three previous occasions this season knotting the game up less than 20 seconds later. Senior Melissa Pietras took a shot from the right perimeter that appeared to be tipped and fell into the left corner of the net to tie the match at six. The goal was Pietras' fifth of the Invitational and eighth on the year.

Junior Krista Peterson gave the Hoosiers the final margin they would need for the victory with just 1:47 remaining. Out of a Hoosier timeout, sophomore Bridget McKeon fed the ball into the post to Peterson, whose backhanded shot trickled just past the goal line on the right side.

UCSB jumped on top to start the game scoring at the 3:45 mark of the first period. Peterson responded as she netted the Hoosiers' first goal from the perimeter. Sophomore Clare Meadows notched the assist on the goal.

Sophomore Janis Pardy gave the Hoosiers' their first lead in the second period. The Calgary, Alberta, Canada, native stole an outlet pass from the goalkeeper and had a break away. Pardy finished it off skipping the ball into the lower left corner for the tally.

The Gauchos scored the next two goals before the half to go into the locker room with a 3-2 advantage. Both shots came from the perimeter to find the back of the net. They would extend their lead to the largest of the game less than two minutes into the third period with a six-on-five goal.

Over the final four minutes of the third period, the Hoosiers found the back of the net on three occasions all coming from the Canadian duo of Pardy and freshman Kristin Zernicke. Zernicke scored the first goal to drop the Gaucho lead to one following a barrage of three Hoosier shots. Peterson took the first shot from the right side with the six-on-five advantage, but it was tipped wide by the UCSB goalkeeper. McKeon then took a shot from the left side that found the post. She was heads up though, grabbing the rebound and drawing the foul. McKeon then found Zernicke, who scored from the left side of the perimeter.

McKeon was a driving force behind second goal of the sequence as well. She drew the kickout in the post, giving the Hoosiers the six-on-five advantage. After the ball went around the perimeter, junior Kandace Waldthaler found Pardy at the top. Pardy `s shot found the back of the net in the top left corner.

Zernicke finished the scoring of the third period off with just 43 seconds remaining. Junior goalkeeper Jessica Goldner made a six-on-five save and found Zernicke on the counter. Zernicke spun and lofted the ball over the UCSB goalkeeper putting the Hoosiers up 5-4. The assist was the fourth of Goldner's career and the first since Slippery Rock on March 29, 2003.

Zernicke, Peterson and Pardy each scored two goals in the victory for the Hoosiers. McKeon finished the night with two assists for the Hoosiers.

Goldner had another exceptional night in goal as she made 10 saves, including three with UCSB on the six-on five advantage. Senior Kristy Streefkerk equaled a career-high with four steals against the Gauchos. Pardy also had two steals in the victory.

Indiana will be out of action for three weeks before competing in the Bucknell Invitational. On Saturday, Feb. 28, the Hoosiers will take on No. 19 Hartwick at 2:35 p.m. before battling No. 18 Princeton at 6:30 p.m. The following day the Hoosiers will take on Harvard at 11:30 a.m. and George Washington at 3:30 p.m.