Hoosiers Advance to CWPA Title With Overtime Win

Saturday, April 30

Boston, Mass.

3 PM

Indiana University

(#6 Seed) Hartwick (CWPA Semifinals)

Jennifer Beadle (6) and Candyce Schroeder (11) scored hat tricks in Indiana's overtime win

Hoosiers Advance to CWPA Title With Overtime Win

4/30/2016 7:37:00 PM | Women's Water Polo

Indiana reaches the CWPA championship game for third consecutive year

BOSTON – Two times during the regular season, the Indiana water polo team played games that extended to overtime. The Hoosiers came up short of a win in both games, but they gained valuable experience in playing under pressure.

On Saturday, Indiana (23-6) applied that experience to pull out a 12-11 overtime win over sixth-seeded Hartwick (16-13) in the CWPA Semifinals.

Indiana and Hartwick were tied at seven goals apiece midway through the fourth quarter, when the No. 21 Hawks slotted two quick goals to take the lead with three minutes remaining. The Hoosiers regrouped and tied the game with two scores on back-to-back possessions, both with a power play advantage.

Candyce Schroeder garnered player of the game honors from the CWPA after scoring a hat trick, her 11^th of the year. Schroeder tallied two scores in the second quarter along with the overtime-forcing goal in the final period.

Kelly Matthews delivered a clutch performance down the stretch for Indiana. The sophomore assisted on the first score of Indiana's comeback, and scored her only two goals of the game in overtime.

Jennifer Beadle continued her white-hot run through the tournament with her second hat trick in as many games. The Pleasanton, California native added two assists in the fourth quarter and in overtime, and she has looked like one of the outstanding players in this year's CWPA Tournament.

Other valuable attacking performances include Kate Pipkin, who added two goals and two assists to the winning effort, and Sarah Young, who contributed with a pair of goals in the fourth quarter and overtime. Young's goal with 1:27 remaining in the second overtime period proved to be the difference-maker for Indiana.

Sarah Myers added two assists and battled for five sprint wins in a well-rounded outing. The Toronto, Ontario native shared the Hoosiers' leaderboard in steals, despite playing the final 20 minutes of the game with two ejections.

Mary Campbell continued her high performance between the post with 11 saves, including seven saves between the fourth quarter and overtime. The senior delivered at a crucial juncture, midway through the third quarter, when Campbell blocked a five-meter penalty shot. It's the 14^th time this season that Campbell has made 10 or more saves in a game.

The Game
The Hoosiers and Hawks traded goals to start the game, proving that the winner of this contest would be in for a battle. The only advantage after eight minutes favored Indiana, when Matthews found Pipkin for a power play goal and a 3-2 first quarter lead.

The Hoosiers looked like they could build a lead after Schroeder's goal a minute into the second quarter, but Hartwick capitalized on two scores in two possessions to tie the game. Once again, the Hoosiers took a late 5-4 lead into the half after Myers connected with Schroeder in front of the goal.

Beadle completed her hat trick in the third quarter, linking with Pipkin on a cross-pool delivery. Following that, the Hawks scored two within two minutes to tie the game, 6-6, heading into the final period.

Hartwick took their second lead of the game with the first goal of the final regulation quarter. Pipkin shook off her defender for a powerful mid-range goal and a 7-7 tie. In response, Hartwick rattled two goals into the cage for a two-goal lead. Down, but not out, Indiana recovered by capitalizing on two consecutive power play opportunities. The Hoosiers held off Hartwick's final possession to force an overtime period.

Matthews scored her first goal of the game when Indiana needed it most, on the Hoosiers' first possession of overtime. Hartwick squared the score line with 17 seconds left in the first period, but Indiana regained the lead Matthews' second goal with four seconds remaining.

Hartwick drew and converted a five-meter penalty to tie the tally at 11-11, and the game began to point at a possible sudden-victory overtime period. Then, with 1:27 remaining on the clock, Beadle found Young for what would become the game-winning goal.

Up Next: CWPA Championship Game
#14 (#2 seed) Indiana (23-6) vs. #5 (#1 seed) Michigan (28-6)
Sunday, May 1, 2016 • 1:30 p.m. ET • Live Stats • Watch Live ($)
Boston, Mass. • Blodgett Pool

After Michigan's 9-8 win over Princeton in their semifinal game, Indiana faces a rematch against their Big Ten rival. The last time Indiana and Michigan met in the CWPA Tournament, in 2015, the Hoosiers won in sudden-victory overtime on Kelly Matthews' game-winning goal. When the two met earlier this season to kick off their CWPA schedules, Michigan emerged with an 11-8 victory in Bloomington.

The winner of tomorrow's CWPA Championship game will ensure a bid to the 2016 NCAA Water Polo Championships in Los Angeles, California.