Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Open Conference Play
3/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
In the nightcap, the Hoosiers once again lost a hard fought match to the Michigan Wolverines. The two teams were tied at the half before Michigan scored three goals in the second half to pick up the 4-1 victory. It was the second time this season the Wolverines have defeated the Hoosiers. U-M won the first meeting 4-2 at the Michigan Invitational, scoring three goals in the second half. Ten of the last 14 matches between IU and Michigan have been decided by two or less goals.
"It was a terrific game, but the difference was our ability to convert," Indiana head coach Barry King said. "We just couldn't finish. We executed exactly what we had worked on coming into the match. The ladies did a terrific job of getting to that position and just didn't finish. (Betsey Armstrong) had a terrific game as well. We just couldn't get through that. We're going to work on that a lot over the next two or three weeks and hopefully improve on that."
Michigan struck first as Shana Welch scored with 2:38 remaining in the opening period. Julie Nisbet passed the ball to Welch on the right wing. Welch sent a skip shot into the lower left corner for the 1-0 lead.
Indiana responded with its first goal of the match 1:30 later in transition. Sophomore Janis Pardy made the steal on the defensive end and led junior Krista Peterson on the break. Peterson caught up to the pass and sent the ball into the lower left corner. It was Peterson's 28th goal of the season. Pardy was credited with her 11th assist of the year.
It appeared as though the Hoosier would take the lead with a minute remaining in the half. Again on the break, senior Kristy Streefkerk had a shot that got pasted Michigan keeper Betsey Armstrong, but the ball hung on the goalline long enough for Armstrong to swipe it away.
Michigan took the lead for good at the 2:29 mark of the third period. Sophomore Bridget McKeon was whistled for a four-meter foul. Nisbet sent a pass to Sheetal Narsai for Michigan and McKeon was whistled for the foul from behind. Narsai scored on the four-meter penalty shot into the lower left corner. Indiana once again almost evened it up at the 1:43 mark of the third period. Pardy's shot with Indiana on the 6-on-5 advantage hit off the crossbar and bounced down.
Michigan added a pair of goals in the final period. Erin Brown scored just 21 seconds into the final period on a shot from the seven-meter into the upper left corner of the net. Megan Hausmann scored the final Wolverine goal on a lob shot with 4:58 remaining in the match.
The Hoosiers had numerous opportunities throughout as they outshot Michigan,31-15. U-M keeper Betsey Armstrong was strong in net as she made 22 saves. The Hoosiers hounded the Michigan offense forcing numerous turnovers and making 11 steals. Junior Kandace Waldthaler led IU with three steals. Junior goalkeeper Jessica Goldner had four saves in net for Indiana.
"We wanted to be able to put shots up," King said. "When we played them earlier in January, we only took 17 shots, and we're not going to beat them doing that. We needed to find good attempts, and we did. We beat her a couple times. We were unfortunate at the finish. As far as execution of the game plan, we were right there. I don't have any problems with it at all."
The Hoosiers picked up a pair of convincing victories earlier in the day as they downed Grove City, 13-2 and Slippery Rock, 18-3.
Against Grove City, the Hoosiers jumped out to a 9-0 advantage before the Wolverines could find the scoring column. In the first quarter, IU scored eight goals to take an 8-0 lead.
Waldthaler scored her third three-goal game of the year, netting all three tallies in the first period. She scored from the two-meter position on the Hoosiers' first two possessions as IU led 2-0 just a minute into the match.
Peterson and McKeon each scored a pair of goals in the opening quarter. Peterson scored both her goals in a 32-second span following Waldthaler's goals. McKeon ended the quarter with both her tallies in the final two minutes of the period. Pardy also scored for IU in the first period.
Freshman Kara Woolley scored from the seven-meter with time running down on the shot clock at the 4:39 mark of the second period. The goal extended IU's lead to nine. Grove City scored just before the half as Katie Flaherty snuck a shot just by Goldner on the lower left with a second remaining.
Indiana scored the next three goals of the match. Freshman Amanda Paul notched her second goal of the year at the 5:01 mark of the third period. Fellow classmate Claire Nicholson registered her first career goal as she scored with 4:16 remaining in the third period. Sophomore Clare Meadows scored the Hoosiers' final goal of the third period with 1:37 remaining. Following Grove City's second goal of the match in the fourth period, Nicholson netted her second goal and the final of the match to give Indiana the final margin of 13-2.
Senior Kristy Streefkerk saw her first action of the year in goal as she played the entire fourth period. Streefkerk allowed a goal, while facing three shots and making a pair of saves. Goldner finished the game with four saves on only seven shots. McKeon finished with a team-high four steals, all coming in the first period of play. Nicholson and fellow classmate Jaclyn Tameris had solid games on the defensive end as well picking up three steals apiece.
Sophomore Emily Schmitt led IU with a pair of assists against GCC. Peterson, Woolley, Nicholson, Paul, Pardy and Tameris each had one assist in the game.
Indiana dominated `The Rock' of Slippery Rock in their second match of the day, 18-3. Every Hoosier that played registered a point by either scoring a goal or assisting on one. IU jumped out to another solid advantage of 6-0 before finishing the first half leading 13-2.
The Hoosiers offense exploded for six goals in the first four minutes of match. McKeon got it started with a goal just 17 seconds into the match. The Hoosiers finished the first period of play on top 8-2. In the opening period, seven different Hoosiers found the back of the net led by a pair of tallies from Pardy.
The Hoosiers continued their solid play in the second half as they outscored Slippery Rock, 5-1, including three goals with the 6-on-5 advantage.
Seven Hoosiers scored at least two goals in the lopsided victory. The goal total of 18 was a season-high and the most since IU scored 20 on Mercyhurst on March 8, 2003. Freshmen Kara Woolley, Kourtney Schepman, Claire Nicholson and Jaclyn Tameris each registered career highs in goals scored. Woolley finished with four goals, while Schepman had three. Nicholson, and Tameris each netted a pair for the second time in their careers. Junior Krista Peterson and sophomore Janis Pardy each scored two goals for IU as well. Waldthaler scored on her only shot of the game in the first period against Slippery Rock.
Nicholson and freshman Amanda Paul each had career highs with two assists against `The Rock.' Schepman led IU with four steals, while Tameris had a career-high of three. Peterson, Woolley, freshman Kristin Zernicke, Waldthaler, Pardy, Meadows, Tameris and senior Kristy Streefkerk each had an assist on the day. Goldner was solid between the pipes for IU as she had a season-high 12 saves while facing 18 shots.
"I was very pleased with the two wins," King said. " I told them that after both games. I saw a lot of good, solid fundamental plays. I was very encouraged by the kids that were coming off the bench and getting a lot of playing time. I thought they did a very nice job."
The Hoosiers will return to action at the Aloha Classic on Friday, March 19 through Sunday, March 21. The first two days of competition will be exhibition for IU as they take on New Zealand, Dartmouth, Canada and Japan. On the final day of competition, IU will take on No. 2 Stanford at 9:30 a.m. HST and No. 7 Hawaii at 2:30 p.m. HST.
