Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Head To Michigan For Wolverine Invitational
3/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
March 16, 2007
Wolverine Invitational Notes
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The Indiana women's water polo team will head to Michigan for the Wolverine Invitational this weekend. The Hoosiers will match up against Cal Baptist at 12:20 p.m. EST and Brown at 6:10 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 17 and will take on Wagner at 11:30 a.m. EST and Loyola Marymount at 3 p.m. EST to wrap up the event on Sunday, March 18.
A LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
Cal Baptist -- Cal Baptist enters the tournament with a record of 13-4 overall on the season. Most recently, the Lancers defeated George Washington, 10-6, on March 15. Cheryl Ogden, Corrie Stuursma, Whitney Shaw and Cydney Owen each scored twice in the victory for Cal Baptist. On March 12, Whitney Shaw's game-tying goal was enough to send the game into overtime, but Bucknell's Valentina Rozas netted the game-winner less than a minute into the third sudden-death overtime period, as the Bison held on for a, 13-12, victory. The Lancers had trailed, 3-0, after the first period, and were down by a 6-3 tally early in the third period, but temporarily turned around a faltering six-on-five game, as Shaw's tally with six seconds left on the fourth-quarter clock tied the score for just the second time in the game. That forced Cal Baptist's first overtime of the season. The loss snaped an eight-game winning streak for the Lancers.
Brown -- The Bears (6-2) defeated Harvard, 8-3, to open the week on March 15. After allowing the Crimson to score the games first goal on a six-on-five 1:25 into the game, the Bears held their hosts scoreless until there was 5:35 remaining in the fourth quarter and put the game away with five goals in the third quarter. Brown, which has two losses to ranked opponents (Hartwick and Princeton), has a roster that features a trio of double-digit scorers in Sarah Glick (17), Elizabeth Balassone (14) and Lauren Presant (14). BU also returns its leading goal scorer from 2006 in Paige Lansing -- one of four seniors on the roster. The Bears, coached by Jason Gall, went 15-18 last season and placed sixth at the Eastern Championships.
Wagner -- The Seahawks (7-6) went 25-14 last season and placed runner-up in the MAAC after falling to Marist in the conference championship final. Wagner returns senior Stacey Travous, the nation's tenth-leading scorer in 2006 (72 goals), and junior Billy Hoelck, the nation's sixth-leading scorer last season (84 goals). This season, Travous ranks second on the team in tallies (24 g) behind Billy Hoelck (38 g). The Seahawks also welcome back five more seniors, including Anne Wolkenhauer, who was voted the team's MVP thanks to a team-high 61 steals. Another senior, Katie Hauck, backstops the Wagner defense. Hauck was a 2006 All-MAAC second team selection after making 204 saves to garner a goals against average below seven (6.64). Pat Beemer is in his third season as head coach at Wagner, who has dropped all three all-time meetings with Michigan. In last season's confrontation, the Wolverines survived, 12-11, in a thrilling contest that featured a last-second U-M field block to secure the one-goal triumph.
Loyola Marymount -- The 11th-ranked Loyola Marymount University women's water polo team used six unanswered goals in the second and third periods to earn a 12-3 win over Bucknell in non-conference action on Thursday afternoon at the Burns Recreation and Aquatics Center. While the Lions' offense provided the separation to improve to 11-4 on the season, it was the defense that keyed the win. The Lions held Bucknell (11-10) without a goal in the first and third periods and fought off a six-on-four disadvantage as goalie Kaylee Caster finished with eight saves. Stacia Peterson and Katie Hicks are the two top scorers for the Lions. Peterson has posted a team-high 31 goals to go along with six helpers, while Hicks has notched a team-high 12 assists in addition to her 22 scores. Peterson also leads LMU in steals with 23, while goalkeeper Kaylee Caster has blocked 134 shots and holds a 7.48 goals-against average in 54 quarters of play.
LAST TIME OUT
The No. 20 Indiana water polo team split its final day in California, defeating Claremont, 15-8, before falling to No. 19 Cal State Bakersfield, 14-10, in the final game of the day at the John S. Hillman Aquatics Center on the campus of Cal State Bakersfield on Tuesday, March 13.
The Hoosiers (6-10) showed a balanced attack in the first game, as eight players scored in the victory, with just one tallying more than two goals as Kara Woolley netted a team-high three scores. IU led after the first quarter, but Claremont narrowed the score to just two goals twice, 6-4 and 7-5. However, the Hoosiers scored five unanswered goals in the third period to put the match away at 12-5. Heading into the final period, IU led 14-6.
Woolley scored three times in the win, and she was joined by Kristin Zernicke, Brooke Zimmerman, Melissa Soria, Brittany Estrada and Jacly Tameris with two apiece while Kelly Palmberg and Nicole Sands tallied one each. In the nightcap, the Hoosiers led after the first quarter, 4-2, but Cal State Bakersfield came back to take the slim 7-6 advantage heading into halftime. The Roadrunners extended the lead to three goals, 12-9, at the end of the third quarter and closed out the win by outscoring IU, 2-1, in the final period.
Soria led the Hoosiers in the final game of the day, scoring four goals in the contest. Woolley and Zimmerman each added two goals apiece while Maggie Hannon and Emily Schmitt each tallied one.
AMONG THE BEST
With her team-leading 40 goals (a 2.5 goals per game average) in the Hoosiers 16 games so far this season, junior Brooke Zimmerman currently ranks 15th in the nation in goals scored. Joining her in the top 50 is senior Melissa Soria, who has tallied 38 goals in 12 contests for an average of 3.2 scores per game. IU's 142 goals as a team, an average of 8.9 per game, ranks 27th nationally.
SEASON OPENERS
The season-opening 2007 Michigan Kick-Off marked the sixth straight season in which the Hoosiers have opened play in Ann Arbor. Last season, Indiana went 1-3 at the Michigan Kick-Off, and won two of three contests at the Michigan Invitational to start the 2005 campaign. The Hoosiers have won just three season-openers at Michigan, the 16-3 win over UC Santa Cruz last week, a 6-5 overtime triumph over Arizona State on Jan. 24, 2004, and a 10-8 victory against Hartwick on Jan. 25, 2003.
IN THE RANKINGS
The water polo team opened the 2007 season where it finished the year before, ranked No. 20 in the National Collegiate Women's Top 20 Poll, which was released on Jan. 24. The Hoosiers were 11th in the preseason poll in 2006 and went on to spend the rest of the year in the rankings. The Hoosiers share their preseason ranking with Brown University. The Hoosiers are also ranked No. 4 in the inaugural CWPA Poll.
After winning its second straight regular-season CWPA Western Division title in 2006, the Indiana water polo team is looking to repeat as divisional champion, return to the CWPA Eastern Championship and compete for a national title in 2007. The Hoosiers, who went 24-11 a year ago, return four of their top five players, including returning 201 of their 311 goals from 2006.
20 WINS THE MARK
For the eighth time in its nine-year existence, the Indiana water polo program eclipsed the 20-win plateau in 2006. Indiana went 24-11 last season. The lone year IU failed to win 20 was 2001, when the Hoosiers finished 18-12-1.
Indiana head coach Barry King has led the Hoosiers during every season as a varsity sport. In his nine years, he has guided the Hoosiers to a 200-105-2 (.655) record.
The school record for wins is 26. Indiana won 26 matches in 1998 and 2003. The 2003 squad also was the first to win the CWPA and advance to an NCAA-sponsored Final Four.
LEADING THE WAY
The Hoosiers return four of their top five players from a 2006 team that won its second consecutive CWPA Western Division Championship. In goal, the Hoosiers return second team All-Western Division selection Jackie Pyrz, a year after she posted 259 saves and a 6.24 goals against average. The Hoosiers will also have plenty of experience at defender, with seniors Emily Schmitt and Claire Nicholson anchoring the position. Schmitt returns to the Hoosiers after missing the 2006 season due to injury. The Beaverton, Ore., native has 87 career steals to go along with 67 scores in her 108 games as a Hoosier. Nicholson played in 30 matches in 2006for IU, registering 22 steals on the season to go along with four goals and 12 assists.
At attacker, the Hoosiers will rely on senior Kristen Zernicke and junior Brooke Zimmerman to run the offense. Zernicke is already in the top 10 in IU history with 170 career steals, while Zimmerman scored 53 goals in her first year as a Hoosier. Zimmerman also led all returning players in 2006 with 43 assists and 66 steals. The Hoosiers also return a strong scoring threat in center Melissa Soria. Soria returns for the Hoosiers after posting 61 goals a year ago, the third-most in the history of the Hoosier program, and earning second team All-CWPA laurels. She scored five goals on three different occasions last year and earned 42 kickouts on the year.
SETTING NEW MARKS
In 2006, junior Melissa Soria scored 61 goals, tying former Hoosier Krista Peterson for third on the single-season list, while senior Janis Pardy posted a single-season record with 47 assists on the season. She also added 47 goals and 71 assists on the year, both career highs. Sophomore Brooke Zimmerman posted outstanding numbers in her first season as a Hoosier, finishing second on the team with 53 goals, 43 assists and 66 steals. Junior Kristen Zernicke tallied 25 goals, 38 assists and 64 steals, as well. In goal, sophomore Jackie Pyrz set a new Hoosier record by facing 673 shots, while her 259 saves are the third-most by an Indiana goalkeeper in a single season. Zimmerman's 53 goals tie her for eighth-most in a single season in IU history, while her steals total is also the eighth-best single season mark. Zernicke's 38 assists on the year are the seventh-most in a single season in IU history, while her 64 steals tie her with Ginger Wang for ninth in a season.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS
In 2006, five IU water polo student-athletes were named to the AWCPA All-Academic Team and eight were named Academic All-Big Ten. Junior Kristen Zernicke posted her third straight year as an "Outstanding" selection to the AWCPA team, the highest level of academic honor a player can receive from the organization.
