Hoosiers End Regular Season With Wins Over Bucknell, Hartwick

Sunday, April 17

Princeton, N.J.

11:40 AM

Indiana University

Bucknell

Hoosiers End Regular Season With Wins Over Bucknell, Hartwick

4/17/2016 10:23:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

Indiana clinches second-place finish in CWPA play with a six-game winning streak

PRINCETON, N.J. – The Indiana water polo team finished their regular season schedule with a perfect 4-0 weekend, which concluded Sunday with a 13-11 win against Bucknell (16-14, 4-3) and an 11-7 win over No. 21 Hartwick (15-12, 3-4). The Hoosiers (21-6, 6-1) earned a second-place finish and the second seed in the upcoming CWPA Tournament after their flying finish to the year.

The Hoosiers have been playing as a cohesive unit all year, but their formula for success has paid dividends down the final stretch. Indiana has won 18 of their last 20 games, and haven't lost two games in a row since their 0-2 start to the year at Arizona State. Their 6-1 record through the CWPA schedule has given them an advantageous path to the CWPA Championship, where the winner advances to the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

Kelly Matthews and Candyce Schroeder championed the scoring effort this weekend with 11 goals each. Five other Hoosiers—Jennifer Beadle, Sarah Myers, Kate Pipkin, Kaybree Albright, and Karrie Kozokar—all tallied three or more scores in the Hoosiers' final four games.

The attacking duo of Myers and Pipkin combined for 20 of Indiana's 44 total assists this weekend, while also contributing on the defensive end with 14 total steals.

Game 26: Indiana 13, Bucknell 11
The Hoosiers began their final regular season day with a tough matchup against the Bucknell Bison. Indiana, led by Schroeder on the attack, rebounded from an early deficit and pulled away after three even quarters for the two-score win.

Schroeder lifted Indiana to their win over Bucknell with a career-high seven goals and one assist. That single-game goal total is the most in Indiana history. Beadle added two goals as Indiana's only other multi-goal scorer, followed by Pipkin, Matthews, Myers, and Sarah Young with one goal each.

Myers led a well-balanced distribution effort with five assists in the game, a single-game career high for the sophomore. Pipkin and Matthews tossed two assists each, followed by Beadle, Schroeder, Albright, Young, and Bronwyn Smith with one apiece.
Matthews led the defensive effort with a stat-stuffing three steals and two field blocks. Mary Campbell made nine saves in the cage.

Schroeder was first to enter the score sheet midway through the opening quarter, but the Bison jumped out to their first lead with back-to-back scores to close the first eight minutes. The Hoosiers answered the bell with a 5-1 run to take a 6-4 lead into the break.

The teams traded blows to start the third quarter until Bucknell capitalized on three chances for a trio of unanswered goals, regaining a 9-8 lead. Schroeder's goal with 14 seconds remaining tied the game heading into the final quarter.

Goals from Schroeder and Myers put the Hoosiers in the lead by two before Bucknell halved their deficit with three minutes left in the game. The Hoosiers, determined to put another game in the win column, pushed their lead to the point of no return on goals from Beadle and Pipkin in the final two minutes.

Game 27: Indiana 11, Hartwick 7
The Hoosiers' toughest test of the weekend awaited them in their final game of the day, a matchup against the No. 21 Hartwick Hawks. Indiana put a cap on an outstanding finish to their season in a wire-to-wire win.

Jennifer Beadle led a balanced offensive output with her fourth hat trick of the season. Matthews, Kozokar, and Myers added two goals apiece, while Schroeder and Albright contributed with one goal each.

The Hoosiers' ball movement continued to shine, as eight players recorded assists in the win. Only two Hoosiers—Beadle and Myers—set more than one assist with two apiece.

Mary Campbell put a cap on her standout senior season with her second highest save total of the year. She controlled the cage with 17 saves and two steals on 30 shots faced.

Indiana pulled away from a 1-1 tie with two quick scores to close the first quarter. Both teams traded goals in the second quarter, but the Hoosiers entered halftime with a 5-4 lead. Ultimately, it was Indiana's 3-0 run through the third quarter—with goals from Matthews, Kozokar, and Myers—that lifted the Hoosiers to their sixth win in as many games.

Up Next: 2016 CWPA Tournament
Friday, April 29 – Sunday, May 1
Harvard University • Blodgett Pool • Boston, Mass.

Now that the wake has settled on the 2016 regular season, Indiana looks ahead to this year's CWPA Tournament in Boston. The first round matchups are set, and with Indiana clinching the No. 2 seed, they'll open the weekend against seventh-seeded Brown.

Indiana won both meetings against Brown this year. They took a 15-7 win in Providence at the Bruno Classic in February, and won a 10-5 game this weekend in Princeton.

If they can pull out a win in the first round, they'll move to a semifinal matchup against the winner between third-seeded Bucknell and sixth-seeded Hartwick.

Every game of the 2016 CWPA Tournament will air live via video stream.

2016 Final CWPA Standings
	Conference		Overall
Team	W-L	%	W-L	%
Michigan	7-0	1.000	26-6	.813
Indiana	6-1	.857	21-6	.778
Bucknell	4-3	.571	16-14	.533
Princeton	4-3	.571	17-6	.739
Harvard	3-4	.429	22-8	.733
Hartwick	3-4	.429	15-12	.556
Brown	1-6	.143	9-23	.281
George Washington	0-7	.000	7-16	.304