Indiana University Athletics
Pardy's Lob, Defense Sends Hoosiers to Eastern Championship
8/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Apr. 30, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - It was a similar spot, a similar shot and a familiar result for the Indiana water polo team. With exactly 4:00 showing on the clock in the fourth period, junior Janis Pardy lobbed a shot from the left side of the perimeter into the right corner of the net, giving the Hoosiers a 7-6 victory over heated rival Hartwick at the 2005 CWPA Eastern Championship at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center.
Sophomore Kristin Zernicke set up her fellow Canadian with a diagonal pass. The shot came from the same area and in the same form as Pardy's lob shot that defeated Michigan in sudden victory on March 18 to win the regular season Western Division title. The win propelled the Hoosiers into the CWPA Eastern Championship for the second time in school history. IU won the 2003 title, 7-5, over Brown.
"I thought it was an incredibly hard-fought game," Indiana head coach Barry King said. " I was pleased that we did the things well that we prepared for. We did a good job of taking away the things that they are known for. We played very well defensively and now we will ride that defensive wave into the championship."
The goal by Pardy came after a pair of saves from Hartwick goalkeeper Olivia Colebourne over a one-minute span. Colebourne stopped a pair of shots from senior first-team All-CWPA member Kandace Waldthaler shots in the post prior to Pardy's lob. It was Pardy's 29th marker of the season.
The other end of the pool was no different as IU senior goalkeeper Jessica Goldner came up with a pair of saves of her own. Bronwen Knox, 2005 CWPA Rookie of the Year, had a look from four meters that Goldner denied. Kate Chambers had a wide-open look from the left side toward the right corner that Goldner deflected wide.
With just under three minutes remaining, Hartwick had a chance on the power play. The Hawks lobbed a pass to Knox in the post, but Indiana junior Bridget McKeon swiped the pass. It was one of McKeon's three steals on the evening.
The Hawks had another prime chance to draw even with just under a minute remaining in the match. Waldthaler was whistled for the ejection in transition, and then Hartwick got the two-man advantage after Pardy was ejected. Knox again got the ball in the two-meter, spun, but her shot caromed off the left post. McKeon was there to corral the deflection, giving IU possession with less than 50 seconds remaining.
The Hoosiers attempted to swim out the majority of the clock, but Waldthaler was whistled for the turnover on the right flank. Following a Hartwick timeout to move the ball into the offensive zone, Knox again got open, this time on the left side. Her shot was stopped by Goldner, but the play was all for not as Hartwick was called for the offensive foul when an offensive player was called for the grab. The Hoosiers were able to swim out the clock down the left side and clinch a spot in the Eastern Championship match on Sunday.
The Cream and Crimson jumped out to the 2-0 lead in the opening minutes of the second period. Waldthaler scored in the post off the assist from junior Clare Meadows. Meadows dumped the ball into the two-meter, where Waldthaler was able to push the shot in past a pair of Hartwick defenders. IU added another goal in the post this one from freshman Carolyn Conway. Junior Emily Schmitt fed Conway in the post, and the Newport Beach, Calif., product spun her defender and lobbed a backhand over the Hartwick goalkeeper.
The Hawks responded by scoring on a four-meter penalty. Hartwick's Kimberley Sumich got the ball in the post, spun IU's Peterson and drew the four-meter. Maureen Wertz scored the four-meter penalty shot just inside the left post.
Indiana came right back with a goal of its own on the very next possession. Schmitt skipped a shot from the top of the perimeter into the left side of the net, past a two-goalkeeper look for the Hawks.
The match continued back-and-forth as the Hawks scored on their next possession. Hartwick drew the ejection on IU, garnering the 6-on-5 advantage. Knox took advantage for the Hawks, as she got open in the middle and scored into the left side of the cage. Hartwick drew even with a goal from Chambers with 1:23 remaining in the half. The goal again came with Hartwick on the man-advantage. Vonya Thomas drew the ejection in the post for the Hawks, followed by Chambers perimeter-shot into the right side of the net.
Hartwick took its first lead of the match just under a minute into the second half. Thomas' shot from the post, squirted past Goldner and into the left side of the goal.
The Hoosiers followed suit, squeaking one past the goal line. Zernicke fed Waldthaler in the post. The Fairfield, Calif., native's shot was deflected by the Hartwick goalkeeper, but spun over the goal line. The goal, with 4:17 remaining in the third, evened things at four.
The Hawks regained the advantage on their next possession. Knox, driving the middle, sent a shot that was blocked by Goldner. The Hartwick freshman was able to corral the deflected ball and push it into the left side of the goal.
Like they had most of the match, the Hoosiers responded on the next possession. Zernicke sent a pass to Peterson at the top of the perimeter. The Portland, Ore., product lobbed a shot that deflected off a Hartwick defender and into the left corner of the net to even the match at five with 3:31 remaining.
It was again Waldthaler that gave IU the lead. She scored on a tip in with IU up a man. Pardy sent the pass to the two-meter, garnering the assist to put IU on top, 6-5, with just over a minute remaining in the third. Zernicke drew the ejection in transition for the Cream and Crimson.
Hartwick evened the match just before the end of the third period. As time expired on the man-advantage for the Hawks, a miscue left Knox alone in the middle. She spun and lobbed a shot to the left side over Goldner to tie the match at six, setting up the final period.
Zernicke finished the match with three helpers, bringing her season total to 33. McKeon and Conway led IU in steals with three apiece. Goldner finished the match with six saves in goal.
The Cream and Crimson will face second-seeded and No. 11-ranked Michigan at 1:30 p.m. for the CWPA Eastern Championship. It will be the fourth time this season the two rivals have met with IU leading the season series 2-1. All three matches have been decided by one goal with the last two going to extra time. The Hoosiers defeated Michigan, 7-6, at the season-opening Michigan Invitational on Jan. 29. The two teams met in a Western Division regular season match in Ann Arbor as well as on March 18 when IU defeated the Maize and Blue, 7-6, in sudden-victory overtime. The Wolverines picked up the last meeting between the two squads, 11-10, in overtime of the Western Division Championship. The winner of Sunday's matchup will earn the CWPA's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich., at Canham Natatorium on May 13-15.
