Michigan advances to 10th Championship Game
Site: Cambridge, Mass. (Blodgett Pool)
Event: CWPA Semifinal
Records: No. 5 Michigan (28-6, 7-0 CWPA), No. 16 Princeton (18-7, 4-3 CWPA)
Score: Michigan 9, Princeton 8
Next U-M Event: CWPA Championship Game vs. Indiana on Sunday, May 1 at 1:30 p.m. in Cambridge, Mass.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — No. 5 Michigan was stellar on its power play defense to lead to a tight 9-8 win over No. 16 Princeton in the CWPA Semifinals on Saturday (April 30) at Blodgett Pool, advancing to the 10th CWPA Championship game in school history.
U-M took down last year’s CWPA Champion Tigers to move on in the tournament and set up a meeting with No. 14 Indiana on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. It will be the third time the two schools have met in the title contest with Michigan winning 8-7 in 2005 and 7-5 in 2010. The Hoosiers won 5-3 in 2011.
Senior goalkeeper Julia Campbell made two big stops early and also had some help from her defense, including a big steal by senior Ali Thomason in a one-goal game during the third quarter. Thomason then turned around two possessions later and scored on a skip shot from long range to put U-M ahead 7-5.
The steal and goal killed Princeton’s momentum after the Tigers had scored the first two goals of the third period. Michigan was able to hold Princeton to just 4-of-10 on its 6-on-5 chances.
Princeton made a charge late with two goals to make it 9-8 with 22 seconds left, but head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi called a timeout and set up a way for U-M to run the clock out.
Earlier in the quarter Leonardi called out a play which the Wolverines executed perfectly for a goal. Kelly Martin made a drive on the far side of the pool and Caroline Anderson hit her in stride for the open score that made it 9-6 with 1:53 to play.
Martin finished with two goals, both coming in the final quarter. Freshman Kim Johnson was the key contributor early, scoring with 19 seconds left in the first quarter to make the score 3-1 and then adding two more goals in the second for her 10th hat trick of the year.
Although Princeton outscored the Wolverines in the second half, 5-3, the 6-3 lead U-M built up in the first half was enough to come away with the win.
Michigan will attempt to win its sixth CWPA title on Sunday. Prior to the game, Shana Welch ’07 will be recognized for her induction into the CWPA Hall of Fame.
Swimming news courtesy of Michigan Water Polo.