IU Opens Divisionals with a Win<br> - Indiana University Athletics

IU Opens Divisionals with a Win

4/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo

Ann Arbor, Mich. -- The No. 10 Indiana water polo team advanced to the semifinals of the Western Division Championships with an easy, 12-2 win over Grove City. The second-seeded Hoosiers will battle the third-seed Gannon in the first semifinal at 4:30 p.m. today. With the victory, the Hoosiers improve to 17-7 on the year.

The Hoosiers wasted little time opening up a sizable advantage scoring the first five goals of the match. A quartet of Hoosiers found the scoring column in the opening period led by the two-goal first period from junior All-American Krista Peterson. The Portland, Ore., native opened the scoring at the 6:09 mark of the first period off the assist from sophomore Bridget McKeon. On the play, McKeon made the steal on the defensive end and found Peterson in transition.

Indiana scored on the very next possession to extend its lead to 2-0. Senior Melissa Pietras made the steal on the defensive end to give IU possession. Sophomore Emily Schmitt found freshman Kristin Zernicke for the second score just 28 seconds after Indiana's first score. The goal was Zernicke's 16th on the season and Schmitt's 18th assist.

Peterson struck again at the 5:11 mark of the first period. Once again McKeon made the steal on the defensive end before finding Peterson in transition. Pietras and freshman Kara Woolley each added a pair of 6-on-5 goals to push IU's lead to five.

Grove City finally got on the board with a minute remaining in the first period. After drawing a kickout, the Wolverine's Katie Flaherty scored off a tipped shot. The Hoosiers would score the final five goals of the half to take a 10-1 lead into the break.

Peterson started the second period the same way she did the first. The 2003 All-CWPA selection notched the first two goals of the period both on the break. Sophomore Clare Meadows found Peterson on the first score after making a steal on the defensive end. Junior goalkeeper Jessica Goldner hit Peterson on the break for the second goal of the period with 5:30 remaining in the half.

The four-goal performance mark Peterson's eighth hat trick of the season. She also has a team-leading 49 goals on the year. With one more goal, Peterson would become only the second Hoosier to score 50 or more goals in three-straight seasons.

Meadows was once again the catalyst for the Hoosiers' eighth goal of the game. The Mission Viejo, Calif., native made the steal on the defensive end and passed ahead to Woolley on the break. Woolley registered her second goal of the game and 21st of the season.

Meadows finished the game with a team-high five steals to go along with her two assists. The five steals was the second-most registered by a Hoosiers this season. Zernicke had a second-high six steals in the opening weekend against Michigan.

Junior Kandace Waldthaler and freshman Amanda Paul added the final two goals of the half extending IU's lead to nine. Waldthaler picked a defender's pocket and went coast-to-coast for her long score of the game. Paul found the back of the net off the assist from fellow classmate Claire Nicholson with 2:23 remaining in the second period.

Meadows added the lone goal of the third period to push IU's lead to double digits. Nicholson picked up her second assist of the game as she found fellow classmate Kourtney Schepman for the Cream and Crimson's final goal just 20 seconds into the fourth period. Grove City's Jessica Zedaker added a four-meter penalty goal with just over six minutes remaining in the match to provide the final margin.

Goldner finished with four saves and two steals in only three quarters of play. McKeon played the final period in the cage registering two saves. She also made a season-high four steals on the day as well.

The Hoosiers will be back in action this afternoon when they take on Gannon at 4:30 p.m. in the first semifinal match up. The top two places at the Western Division Championship advance to the CWPA Eastern Championships next weekend. The Western Division Championship match is slated for 12:45 p.m. at the Canham Natatorium on Sunday.