Indiana University
George Washington
Hoosiers Use Third Quarter Barrage to Sink GW
4/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
April 17, 2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The No. 13 Indiana Hoosiers women's water polo team (22-11, 3-2 CWPA West) used a six-goal flurry in the third period to surge past George Washington, 13-8, in the regular season finale on Sunday. The Hoosiers head into the postseason having won four in a row and 20 of their last 23 contests.
Shae Fournier tied a career-high for the fourth time this season, scoring four goals to lead the Hoosiers offensively. Jakie Köhli registered three goals in the win, marking her third consecutive hat trick. Nicole Redder and Lauren Wyckoff had a pair of goals each, while Kelsey Campbell and Kym King added one apiece.
Cassie Wyckoff had seven saves, two steals, and two assists in a complete 32 minutes of action.
The Colonials struck first with a goal at the 6:32 mark of the opening period on a floater, but Redder came back 38 seconds later with a power play goal after a Köhli assist to knot things up, 1-1.
Both teams exchanged goals back and forth until the waning minutes of the second period, as there were five ties in the first half alone. Wyckoff and Campbell converted two first quarter markers for the Hoosiers. Köhli, Fournier, and Wyckoff had the remaining three first half scores.
The game was filled with exclusions, with both teams combining for 25, to go along with a total of three five-meter penalty shots.
The Hoosiers came out of the break on a mission, led by Köhli's strong play on the defensive end. The Burnaby, B.C. native recorded a career-high eight steals in the contest. One of those takeaways led to a breakaway goal 24 seconds into the half to kick-start Indiana's third period run and give the Hoosiers a 7-5 lead. Köhli also recorded a pair of assists in the contest.
Indiana continued to build momentum as Campbell drew a five-meter foul, which Fournier converted for the three-goal lead. Köhli added another goal a minute later after a precise outlet from (Cassie) Wyckoff put her in prime position for the score.
King and Redder each tallied goals during the final three minutes of the period, along with a Fournier goal with five seconds left to separate the Hoosiers and give them a commanding 12-5 advantage heading into the fourth.
George Washington would tack on three fourth period goals, but it was too late to overcome the Indiana lead. Fournier also recorded her final goal during the final stanza on her second five-meter penalty conversion after Jenna Roe earned the foul.
The Hoosiers will host the CWPA Eastern Championship on April 29-May 1 at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center with the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Championship on the line. Teams will now await the tournament seeding to find out first round matchups.
