Indiana University Athletics
Opening Western Division Play
3/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The No. 9 Indiana women's water polo team will open up Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Western Division action on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6. The Hoosiers will travel to Grove City, Pa., Slippery Rock, Pa. and Erie, Pa. for six conference matches.
The Hoosiers will take on Washington & Jefferson at 10 a.m., on Saturday, March 5, at Grove City. Indiana will then travel to Slippery Rock to battle The Rock at 1 p.m., before going back to face Grove City at 7 p.m., on Saturday night. The Cream and Crimson will then travel to Penn State-Behrend, Mercyhurst and Gannon on Sunday, March 6, in Erie, Pa. IU will battle the Behrend Lions at 9:30 a.m., the Lakers at 12:30 p.m. and Gannon at 3:30 p.m.
IU enters its second season as part of the Western Division. The Hoosiers finished 7-1 and in second place behind Michigan last season. In its first three seasons in the CWPA, the Hoosiers were part of the Allegheny Region of the Southern Division. The Hoosiers finished 6-2 in the division in 2001. The Cream and Crimson followed that up with second-place 7-1 finishes in 2002 and 2003.
For complete IU Water Polo notes click HERE.
Scouting Washington & Jefferson
The Washington & Jefferson Presidents have yet to play a match this season, but are ranked 10th in the CWPA poll. The Hoosiers are 5-0 in the program's history against the Presidents. The Hoosiers have outscored Washington & Jefferson, 81-7 in those matches.
Scouting Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock is 3-9 on the season. The Rock has picked up victories over Eastern Michigan (16-10), Grove City (14-1) and Mercyhurst (12-5). Slippery Rock has competed at the Michigan Invitational and Bucknell Invitational as well as hosting the Hunkler Shootout.
Slippery Rock and Indiana have two common opponents in Colorado State and Michigan. The Rock is 0-2 against the pair, with 10-3 losses to both. The Hoosiers are 2-0 against the group, with a 13-3 win over Colorado State and a 7-6 victory over Michigan.
Sophomore Erika Brunner leads The Rock in goals (26), assists (17) and steals (18). Freshmen Beth Choike, Amie Marshall and Sarah Cicero each have nine goals on the 2005 campaign. Freshman Rachelle Stice and sophomore Amanda Zychowski rank second on the team with 17 steals each. Zychowski is also second on the team in assists with eight. Freshman Amanda Miller has garnered 70 saves in goal for Slippery Rock.
The Hoosiers are 6-0 all-time against Slippery Rock, including an 18-3 victory last season. IU is averaging nearly 16 goals a game over the last five matches against The Rock.
Scouting Penn State-Behrend
Penn State-Behrend College is 0-3 on the 2005 season. The Behrend Lions played in the Bucknell Invitational with losses to George Washington (12-1), Maryland (12-6) and Hartwick (17-1).
The Hoosiers are 5-0 against the Behrend Lions all-time and haveoutscored them, 81-12, in those five meetings.
Scouting Mercyhurst
The Mercyhurst Lakers are 2-1 on the season after competing in the Hunkler Shootout at Slippery Rock to open the season. The Lakers defeated Grove City (13-2) and Gannon (13-9) before falling to Slippery Rock 12-7.
Freshman Carrie Willison leads the Lakers with nine goals and 10 assists on the season. Fellow classmate Christine Somera ranks second on the team with seven goals to go along with five assists. Juniors Tessa DiLoretto and Cassie Rand have six goals apiece on the campaign. Rand also ranks second on the team in assists with seven. Freshman Gina Mieras leads the Laker defense with 42 saves in net.
The Hoosiers are 3-0 all-time against Mercyhurst. In those three meetings, IU has outscored the Lakers, 50-8, including a 15-3 victory last season.
Scouting Gannon
Gannon is 2-1 on the season after opening at the Hunkler Shootout. The Knights picked up wins over Grove City (14-8) and Slippery Rock (7-6) before falling to Mercyhurst (13-9). Gannon currently ranks ninth in the CWPA rankings. The Knights went 20-7 last season and finished 12th at the Eastern Championship.
Sophomore Katherine Bucceri leads Gannon in goals with nine. Sophomore Kyle Figaski and senior Amber Vereb have each scored six goals on the year. Vereb and senior Jaime Theisen lead the Knights with six assists this season. Senior Rachel Hudson topped the Knights with 13 steals, while Theisen ranks second with 11.
Indiana is 6-0 all-time against Gannon, including a pair of wins in 2004. IU defeated Gannon 11-5 during the regular season and 12-3 in the Western Division Championship.
Firsts in Hoosier History
The Indiana women's water polo team has been resetting the program's record books so far this season. Here is a look at some of the firsts for the program in 2005:
- The victories over then-No. 6 Cal and then-No. 7 Hawaii marked the first time in school history the Hoosiers had defeated a pair of top 10 opponents in the same day.
- IU has defeated a program-best four top 10 opponents this season. The group of opponents includes then-No. 10 San Diego State on Feb. 26, then-No. 6 California on Feb. 12, then-No. 9 Hawaii on Feb. 12 and then-No. 9 Michigan on Jan. 29.
-The win over California marks the highest ranked opponent IU has defeated in the program's annals.
- The victories over Cal, San Diego State and Hawaii were the first for the Hoosiers against those western schools.
- The Cream and Crimson are ranked sixth in the latest Women's Collegiate Top 20, released on Feb. 16. It is the highest ranking in the program's history. Previously, the highest ranking the water polo program held was ninth on five separate occasions. The Hoosiers were ninth in the Jan. 21, Feb. 18 and Feb. 25 polls in 2004 as well as the April 30 and May 14 polls of 2003.
- The Hoosiers defeated then-No. 9 Michigan, 7-6, at the Michigan Invitational. It was the first victory over the Wolverines in their last 16 matches. The victory was also the first over Michigan since the Wolverines became a varsity program in 2001.
Goldner Named POW
Indiana senior Jessica Goldner was named the Collegiate Water Polo Association Western Division Player of the Week following her performance at the Stanford Invitational, Feb. 12-13. The goalkeeper from Los Altos Hills, Calif., led the No. 6 Hoosiers to a 2-2 mark, including a pair of victories over then-No. 6 California and then-No. 7 Hawaii.
The four-year starter made 46 saves at the Stanford Invite, with a season-high 16 stops against California. The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Bears, 8-5, including a second-half shutout that featured Goldner's 10 blocks. She came up with 11 saves the following match in an 8-7 win over then-No. 7 Hawaii.
The Hoosiers dropped a pair of matches to No. 2 USC, 9-5, and No. 3 Stanford, 11-4. Goldner made seven saves against USC and 12 against No. 3 Stanford, including a four-meter penalty shot save. With Goldner's 10-plus save performances against Cal, Hawaii and Stanford, she recorded her 29th, 30th and 31st double-digit save matches.
The Hoosiers will take on Washington & Jefferson at 10 a.m., on Saturday, March 5, at Grove City. Indiana will then travel to Slippery Rock to battle The Rock at 1 p.m., before going back to face Grove City at 7 p.m., on Saturday night. The Cream and Crimson will then travel to Penn State-Behrend, Mercyhurst and Gannon on Sunday, March 6, in Erie, Pa. IU will battle the Behrend Lions at 9:30 a.m., the Lakers at 12:30 p.m. and Gannon at 3:30 p.m.
IU enters its second season as part of the Western Division. The Hoosiers finished 7-1 and in second place behind Michigan last season. In its first three seasons in the CWPA, the Hoosiers were part of the Allegheny Region of the Southern Division. The Hoosiers finished 6-2 in the division in 2001. The Cream and Crimson followed that up with second-place 7-1 finishes in 2002 and 2003.
For complete IU Water Polo notes click HERE.
Scouting Washington & Jefferson
The Washington & Jefferson Presidents have yet to play a match this season, but are ranked 10th in the CWPA poll. The Hoosiers are 5-0 in the program's history against the Presidents. The Hoosiers have outscored Washington & Jefferson, 81-7 in those matches.
Scouting Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock is 3-9 on the season. The Rock has picked up victories over Eastern Michigan (16-10), Grove City (14-1) and Mercyhurst (12-5). Slippery Rock has competed at the Michigan Invitational and Bucknell Invitational as well as hosting the Hunkler Shootout.
Slippery Rock and Indiana have two common opponents in Colorado State and Michigan. The Rock is 0-2 against the pair, with 10-3 losses to both. The Hoosiers are 2-0 against the group, with a 13-3 win over Colorado State and a 7-6 victory over Michigan.
Sophomore Erika Brunner leads The Rock in goals (26), assists (17) and steals (18). Freshmen Beth Choike, Amie Marshall and Sarah Cicero each have nine goals on the 2005 campaign. Freshman Rachelle Stice and sophomore Amanda Zychowski rank second on the team with 17 steals each. Zychowski is also second on the team in assists with eight. Freshman Amanda Miller has garnered 70 saves in goal for Slippery Rock.
The Hoosiers are 6-0 all-time against Slippery Rock, including an 18-3 victory last season. IU is averaging nearly 16 goals a game over the last five matches against The Rock.
Scouting Penn State-Behrend
Penn State-Behrend College is 0-3 on the 2005 season. The Behrend Lions played in the Bucknell Invitational with losses to George Washington (12-1), Maryland (12-6) and Hartwick (17-1).
The Hoosiers are 5-0 against the Behrend Lions all-time and haveoutscored them, 81-12, in those five meetings.
Scouting Mercyhurst
The Mercyhurst Lakers are 2-1 on the season after competing in the Hunkler Shootout at Slippery Rock to open the season. The Lakers defeated Grove City (13-2) and Gannon (13-9) before falling to Slippery Rock 12-7.
Freshman Carrie Willison leads the Lakers with nine goals and 10 assists on the season. Fellow classmate Christine Somera ranks second on the team with seven goals to go along with five assists. Juniors Tessa DiLoretto and Cassie Rand have six goals apiece on the campaign. Rand also ranks second on the team in assists with seven. Freshman Gina Mieras leads the Laker defense with 42 saves in net.
The Hoosiers are 3-0 all-time against Mercyhurst. In those three meetings, IU has outscored the Lakers, 50-8, including a 15-3 victory last season.
Scouting Gannon
Gannon is 2-1 on the season after opening at the Hunkler Shootout. The Knights picked up wins over Grove City (14-8) and Slippery Rock (7-6) before falling to Mercyhurst (13-9). Gannon currently ranks ninth in the CWPA rankings. The Knights went 20-7 last season and finished 12th at the Eastern Championship.
Sophomore Katherine Bucceri leads Gannon in goals with nine. Sophomore Kyle Figaski and senior Amber Vereb have each scored six goals on the year. Vereb and senior Jaime Theisen lead the Knights with six assists this season. Senior Rachel Hudson topped the Knights with 13 steals, while Theisen ranks second with 11.
Indiana is 6-0 all-time against Gannon, including a pair of wins in 2004. IU defeated Gannon 11-5 during the regular season and 12-3 in the Western Division Championship.
Firsts in Hoosier History
The Indiana women's water polo team has been resetting the program's record books so far this season. Here is a look at some of the firsts for the program in 2005:
- The victories over then-No. 6 Cal and then-No. 7 Hawaii marked the first time in school history the Hoosiers had defeated a pair of top 10 opponents in the same day.
- IU has defeated a program-best four top 10 opponents this season. The group of opponents includes then-No. 10 San Diego State on Feb. 26, then-No. 6 California on Feb. 12, then-No. 9 Hawaii on Feb. 12 and then-No. 9 Michigan on Jan. 29.
-The win over California marks the highest ranked opponent IU has defeated in the program's annals.
- The victories over Cal, San Diego State and Hawaii were the first for the Hoosiers against those western schools.
- The Cream and Crimson are ranked sixth in the latest Women's Collegiate Top 20, released on Feb. 16. It is the highest ranking in the program's history. Previously, the highest ranking the water polo program held was ninth on five separate occasions. The Hoosiers were ninth in the Jan. 21, Feb. 18 and Feb. 25 polls in 2004 as well as the April 30 and May 14 polls of 2003.
- The Hoosiers defeated then-No. 9 Michigan, 7-6, at the Michigan Invitational. It was the first victory over the Wolverines in their last 16 matches. The victory was also the first over Michigan since the Wolverines became a varsity program in 2001.
Goldner Named POW
Indiana senior Jessica Goldner was named the Collegiate Water Polo Association Western Division Player of the Week following her performance at the Stanford Invitational, Feb. 12-13. The goalkeeper from Los Altos Hills, Calif., led the No. 6 Hoosiers to a 2-2 mark, including a pair of victories over then-No. 6 California and then-No. 7 Hawaii.
The four-year starter made 46 saves at the Stanford Invite, with a season-high 16 stops against California. The Hoosiers defeated the Golden Bears, 8-5, including a second-half shutout that featured Goldner's 10 blocks. She came up with 11 saves the following match in an 8-7 win over then-No. 7 Hawaii.
The Hoosiers dropped a pair of matches to No. 2 USC, 9-5, and No. 3 Stanford, 11-4. Goldner made seven saves against USC and 12 against No. 3 Stanford, including a four-meter penalty shot save. With Goldner's 10-plus save performances against Cal, Hawaii and Stanford, she recorded her 29th, 30th and 31st double-digit save matches.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Water Polo
/ Women's Water Polo
/ Women's Water Polo
/ Women's Water Polo
Wednesday, August 12
Wednesday, August 12
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11