BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The 15th-ranked Indiana water polo team fell just short of an unbeaten home record in 2016 after an 11-8 loss against No. 8 Michigan. After an even first half, the Wolverines took an insurmountable lead with five goals in the third quarter. The Hoosiers drop to 0-1 in CWPA play with a 15-6 overall record, while the Wolverines move to 1-0 in the CWPA with a 19-6 season record.
The Hoosier seniors left it all in the pool during their final home game of their careers. Goalkeeper Mary Campbell recorded 14 saves and one steal, including a pair of saves at point-blank range in one-on-one situations. Candyce Schroeder led the attack with two goals and one assist, along with two steals.
Game 21: No. 8 Michigan 11, No. 15 Indiana 8
After three minutes of steadfast defense on both ends of the pool, Michigan broke through with their first goal of the game from Caroline Anderson. The Hoosiers leveled the score on their next possession when Sarah Young found Schroeder at the two-meter spot. Indiana doubled up on a power play, taking their first lead of the game with a goal from Sarah Myers.Karrie Kozokar set Myers up with her 18th assist of the year. Indiana took their 2-1 lead to the end of the first quarter.
The Big Ten rivals traded blows in the second quarter of action, starting with Michigan’s tying score on a power play. The Hoosiers came back after the media timeout and regained the lead courtesy of Kelly Matthews, with Myers on the assist. Michigan’s Ali Thomason tied the game once again, but the Hoosiers retaliated with another lead-taking score from Jennifer Beadle, assisted by Schroeder. Michigan’s goal with 1:18 left in the period tied the game at 4-4, which held through the remainder of the half.
The Wolverines broke away in the third quarter with three unanswered scores in the first three minutes of action. Matthews scored her second goal of the game to bring the Hoosiers within two, but Michigan extended their lead with two more goals before the start of the fourth quarter.
Indiana won the fourth quarter, but not by a large enough margin to regain the lead. The Hoosiers scored two unanswered with a pair of long-range lob shots by Young and Schroeder. After another Michigan goal, Indiana came back with Beadle’s power play goal, her second of the day, to pull within two scores with two minutes remaining. Michigan answered, and put the game out of reach, with Thomason’s third goal of the day in the final minute of regulation.
Up Next: No. 15 Indiana (15-6) vs. No. 13 Harvard (19-4), No. 17 Princeton (13-3)
Saturday, April 9, 2016 • Ann Arbor, Mich. • Canham Natatorium
9:00 a.m. – Indiana vs. Harvard | 8:00 p.m. – Indiana vs. Princeton
The Hoosiers return to the road to face the other two top-20 CWPA teams next weekend in a Big Ten-Ivy League crossover at the University of Michigan.
Indiana will begin their day with a rematch against the Harvard Crimson. They’ll look to exact revenge on a Harvard squad that won their out-of-conference meeting in overtime, 12-11. In their most recent action, Harvard won an 11-10 nail-biter against No. 20 Hartwick.
The Hoosiers will end their away weekend with another tough CWPA opponent, the Princeton Tigers. The two teams haven’t met since last season’s CWPA Championship, a match the Tigers won, 7-6, to advance to the NCAA Tournament. These two teams tend to bring out the best in one another, as their last three games have been decided by one goal apiece. The Tigers are coming off of a 2-1 weekend at the LMU Invitational, falling in their most recent game, 7-6, to No. 18 Loyola Marymount.
Swimming news courtesy of Indiana Water Polo.