Indiana University Athletics
#ThrowbackThursday: Indiana vs Michigan
10/8/2015 12:41:00 PM | Women's Water Polo
#TBT recaps Indiana's three matches against their biggest rival, the Michigan Wolverines
During the wait for the opening sprint of 2016, IUHoosiers.com will revisit the top moments of the Hoosiers' outstanding 2015 season. These moments include superlative individual and team performances, compelling matches in the regular season and postseason, storied rivalries, and historic milestones achieved by the 2015 squad.
This week, #TBT will revisit Indiana Water Polo's matches against their biggest rival and only Big Ten opponent at the varsity level, the Michigan Wolverines. The Hoosiers and Wolverines played three matches against each other in 2015. In all three matches, it was clear to see why this is one of the most heated rivalries in all of Big Ten athletics.
Game 1: Fluid Five
In similar fashion to Indiana's three-match series against Princeton last season, the Hoosiers first met Michigan in a non-conference match at the Fluid Five tournament, hosted in Bloomington. Indiana and Michigan were both seeking a win in their matchup after they both went 1-1 with a loss to UC Irvine and a win over Hartwick. Sunday morning's rivalry matchup promised to be the feature event of the weekend, and it delivered.
Michigan was first on the scoreboard after both sides settled into this defensive contest. Shelby Taylor equalized less than a minute later on an unassisted shot from five meters. Taylor then found Kelly Matthews for IU's first lead of the game soon after. Indiana held their lead at 3-2 after the first period. The Hoosiers maintained their control on the game in the second quarter, with two goals from Rebecca Gerrity and one from Matthews for a 6-4 lead at half.
The third quarter was dormant until the final two minutes, when Michigan and Indiana split four goals down the middle. Scores from Jones and Shelby Taylor kept Michigan from cutting into Indiana's lead, which remained at two goals with an 8-6 score line at the end of the third. Colleen McNaught's goal in the fourth was enough to give Indiana a deficit that Michigan couldn't erase, despite a two-goal rally down the home stretch. Indiana took the first contest, 9-8.
Game 2: Sudden Death Overtime in Ann Arbor
The Hoosiers had this match circled on their calendar as soon as the 2015 schedule was released last year. A road match in Ann Arbor during the CWPA schedule was sure to be one of the toughest contests of the season. The Wolverines gave the Hoosiers the match they expected, and more.
Michigan surged to a 4-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Indiana found their bearings in the second, rattling six goals into the back of the cage. By the end of the third, Indiana had come all the way back to tie it at 8-8 with eight minutes remaining in regulation. The Hoosiers and Wolverines scored three goals each in the fourth, and the quarter came to a close with both sides tied at 11. The match would be decided in overtime.
Indiana was first on the board in the first overtime period with a goal from Gerrity, but the Wolverines answered in the second period to tie the match at 12. With the allotted overtime coming to a close, this match headed into the heart-pounding sudden death overtime period. It wasn't too long after that period began that Michigan found their break, sealing a 13-12 win in favor of the Wolverines.
Although the loss was heartbreaking, several Hoosiers had incredibly noteworthy performances. Kelly Matthews netted five goals in the match, a personal best for the CWPA Rookie of the Year. Colleen McNaught set the Indiana Water Polo single game assist record with eight in the match, a feat she duplicated in Indiana's next outing.
Game 3:
The sudden death overtime loss put a chip on the proverbial shoulder of the Hoosiers, and they followed that match with their most dominating performances of the season. Nine matches and nine wins later, the Hoosiers squared off against Michigan for the third and final time in 2015, this time in the CWPA Semifinals. The sting of their most recent loss was fresh on their minds, and they sought retribution on their way to the CWPA Championship match.
The Hoosiers and Wolverines traded goal-scoring blows at the beginning of the first quarter, but IU found an advantage after scoring three unanswered goals from Gerrity, Candyce Schroeder, and Matthews, respectively. Indiana led 4-2 at the end of the first, but no lead was safe in this match. Michigan took the opening sprint of the second quarter down the length of the pool for a score. Three saves from IU's Mary Campbell killed an onslaught of power plays from Michigan, and the Indiana offense rewarded Campbell's efforts with two goals the other way. Michigan scored at the cusp of half time, but Indiana retained their two-goal lead from the first.
Indiana's stagnancy at the start of the third left enough room for the Wolverines to claw back into the contest and eventually take the lead, 7-6, with one quarter to play. The Hoosiers came alive in the fourth with a goal 45 seconds into the period, followed by another go-ahead score from Michigan. Indiana drew even on a five-meter penalty conversion from Matthews, but neither team gained an advantage in regulation. Tied at 8-8, the CWPA Title bid would be won in overtime.
Indiana dominated possession in both overtime periods. When their time came, they converted what would become the game-winning goal, a score by Schroeder on the power play. Schroeder and Matthews finished the contest with three goals each, and the Hoosiers held off Michigan for the overtime win.
Michigan leads the all-time series in this storied rivalry, boasting a 44-21-2 record over the Hoosiers. But Indiana has won six of the last seven matches, and they are gaining considerable ground on the Wolverines' series lead. This rivalry will continue to flesh out in the years to come. With both programs on the rise in collegiate water polo, this matchup is already one of the best rivalries in the Big Ten, and will become one of the top contests in NCAA Water Polo.
This week, #TBT will revisit Indiana Water Polo's matches against their biggest rival and only Big Ten opponent at the varsity level, the Michigan Wolverines. The Hoosiers and Wolverines played three matches against each other in 2015. In all three matches, it was clear to see why this is one of the most heated rivalries in all of Big Ten athletics.
Game 1: Fluid Five
In similar fashion to Indiana's three-match series against Princeton last season, the Hoosiers first met Michigan in a non-conference match at the Fluid Five tournament, hosted in Bloomington. Indiana and Michigan were both seeking a win in their matchup after they both went 1-1 with a loss to UC Irvine and a win over Hartwick. Sunday morning's rivalry matchup promised to be the feature event of the weekend, and it delivered.
Michigan was first on the scoreboard after both sides settled into this defensive contest. Shelby Taylor equalized less than a minute later on an unassisted shot from five meters. Taylor then found Kelly Matthews for IU's first lead of the game soon after. Indiana held their lead at 3-2 after the first period. The Hoosiers maintained their control on the game in the second quarter, with two goals from Rebecca Gerrity and one from Matthews for a 6-4 lead at half.
The third quarter was dormant until the final two minutes, when Michigan and Indiana split four goals down the middle. Scores from Jones and Shelby Taylor kept Michigan from cutting into Indiana's lead, which remained at two goals with an 8-6 score line at the end of the third. Colleen McNaught's goal in the fourth was enough to give Indiana a deficit that Michigan couldn't erase, despite a two-goal rally down the home stretch. Indiana took the first contest, 9-8.
Game 2: Sudden Death Overtime in Ann Arbor
The Hoosiers had this match circled on their calendar as soon as the 2015 schedule was released last year. A road match in Ann Arbor during the CWPA schedule was sure to be one of the toughest contests of the season. The Wolverines gave the Hoosiers the match they expected, and more.
Michigan surged to a 4-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. Indiana found their bearings in the second, rattling six goals into the back of the cage. By the end of the third, Indiana had come all the way back to tie it at 8-8 with eight minutes remaining in regulation. The Hoosiers and Wolverines scored three goals each in the fourth, and the quarter came to a close with both sides tied at 11. The match would be decided in overtime.
Indiana was first on the board in the first overtime period with a goal from Gerrity, but the Wolverines answered in the second period to tie the match at 12. With the allotted overtime coming to a close, this match headed into the heart-pounding sudden death overtime period. It wasn't too long after that period began that Michigan found their break, sealing a 13-12 win in favor of the Wolverines.
Although the loss was heartbreaking, several Hoosiers had incredibly noteworthy performances. Kelly Matthews netted five goals in the match, a personal best for the CWPA Rookie of the Year. Colleen McNaught set the Indiana Water Polo single game assist record with eight in the match, a feat she duplicated in Indiana's next outing.
Game 3:
The sudden death overtime loss put a chip on the proverbial shoulder of the Hoosiers, and they followed that match with their most dominating performances of the season. Nine matches and nine wins later, the Hoosiers squared off against Michigan for the third and final time in 2015, this time in the CWPA Semifinals. The sting of their most recent loss was fresh on their minds, and they sought retribution on their way to the CWPA Championship match.
The Hoosiers and Wolverines traded goal-scoring blows at the beginning of the first quarter, but IU found an advantage after scoring three unanswered goals from Gerrity, Candyce Schroeder, and Matthews, respectively. Indiana led 4-2 at the end of the first, but no lead was safe in this match. Michigan took the opening sprint of the second quarter down the length of the pool for a score. Three saves from IU's Mary Campbell killed an onslaught of power plays from Michigan, and the Indiana offense rewarded Campbell's efforts with two goals the other way. Michigan scored at the cusp of half time, but Indiana retained their two-goal lead from the first.
Indiana's stagnancy at the start of the third left enough room for the Wolverines to claw back into the contest and eventually take the lead, 7-6, with one quarter to play. The Hoosiers came alive in the fourth with a goal 45 seconds into the period, followed by another go-ahead score from Michigan. Indiana drew even on a five-meter penalty conversion from Matthews, but neither team gained an advantage in regulation. Tied at 8-8, the CWPA Title bid would be won in overtime.
Indiana dominated possession in both overtime periods. When their time came, they converted what would become the game-winning goal, a score by Schroeder on the power play. Schroeder and Matthews finished the contest with three goals each, and the Hoosiers held off Michigan for the overtime win.
Michigan leads the all-time series in this storied rivalry, boasting a 44-21-2 record over the Hoosiers. But Indiana has won six of the last seven matches, and they are gaining considerable ground on the Wolverines' series lead. This rivalry will continue to flesh out in the years to come. With both programs on the rise in collegiate water polo, this matchup is already one of the best rivalries in the Big Ten, and will become one of the top contests in NCAA Water Polo.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
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Utility
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Defender
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Attacker
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Center
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Utility
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