Indiana Takes Third at Easterns<br> - Indiana University Athletics

Indiana Takes Third at Easterns

4/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo

Lewisburg, Pa. -- The No. 10 Indiana water polo team wrapped up the 2004 season with a victory in the third-place match, 9-4 over No. 20 Brown on Sunday afternoon. The Hoosiers have placed in the top three in each of the last three CWPA Eastern Championships, including the championship run last season. Indiana also finished up its third-straight 20-win season and sixth in the seven-year history of the school.

"I am really proud of the girls performance in a game that we were disappointed to be in," head coach Barry King said. "The girls showed a lot of character. They played hard and did some real nice things on offense. I was really pleased especially with the game that Jessie (Goldner) and Emily (Schmitt) had for us today."

The Cream and Crimson got a pair of goals from a trio of players. Junior Krista Peterson, sophomore Emily Schmitt and sophomore Janis Pardy each netted two tallies in the victory for the Hoosiers.

Peterson was honored as a first team CWPA Eastern Championship All-Tournament selection. The Portland, Ore., native scored five goals in the Hoosiers' three Eastern Championship matches. Fellow classmate Kandace Waldthaler was also honored as a second team choice. Waldthaler had four goals in the Hoosiers' opening round win over Bucknell and netted a score in each of the last two Championship games.

"Both (Peterson and Waldthaler) were terrific for us," King said. "They proved that they were the leaders on this squad all year. They were warriors for us, playing big minutes and producing."

The Hoosiers and Bears traded scores in the opening period of play. IU scored first as Schmitt found the back of the net only 31 seconds into the game. The goal was her 20th of the season. Brown responded with a goal 24 seconds later. Jeanie Ward-Waller scored the goal with Brown on the man advantage.

Peterson netted the Hoosiers' second goal with 2:10 remaining in the first period of play. The Bears would once against respond quickly as they scored just 13 seconds after Peterson's goal. Sonia Lamel scored to even the match before the end of the first period of play.

Indiana pushed itself out to a two-goal advantage scoring the first two of the second frame. Pardy netted both goals in the period for the Hoosiers. The Calgary, Alberta, Canada, native scored just 34 seconds into the second period. Her second goal came less than a minute later to push IU to a 4-2 lead.

Brown drew within one before the end of the half. Pardy was whistled for a four-meter foul, resulting in a penalty shot for the Bears. Jackie Parente converted the penalty shot for the Bears with 3:43 remaining in the half.

The Hoosiers turned in a dominating second half performance as they outscored the Bears, 5-1. Indiana also netted the first three goals of the third period to gain a comfortable margin.

Senior Kristy Streefkerk scored her third goal of the Championships at the 5:36 mark of the third period to push IU's lead back up to two. Schmitt and Peterson each netted their second scores of the game during the third period. Schmitt netted a 6-on-5 goal for the Hoosiers at the 2:48 mark of the third. Peterson followed that up with her second goal with only 1:09 remaining in the period.

Lamel drew the Bears back within three following a goal with just 35 second remaining in the third period. The goal would be as close as the Bears would get as the Hoosiers scored the final two goals of the match.

Waldthaler registered her first goal of the match with 5:55 remaining in the game. Senior Melissa Pietras scored the games final goal as time expired for the final margin of 9-4. The goal was her 19th of the season and 97th of her career.

The match up between the Hoosiers and Bears was a rematch of last season's Eastern Championship title game. The Hoosiers knocked off Brown in championship match, 7-5. In the 2004 title game, No. 13 Hartwick, who defeated IU in the semifinals, defeated No. 8 and top seed Michigan, 5-2.