Weekly Release #8
4/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Fri-Sun., April 19-21 -- at Southern Division Champ. (Villanova, Pa.)
April 19 -- vs. Slippery Rock, 6 p.m.
April 20 -- vs. Penn State-Behrend, 8:30 a.m.
April 20 -- Bracket Play
April 21 -- Bracket Play (Championship Game, 12:15 p.m.)
Fri-Sun., April 26-28 -- at Eastern Championships (Princeton, N.J.)
What's Ahead for the Wolverines
The No. 15 University of Michigan women's water polo team (17-11, 13-1 CWPA) enters the postseason on April 19-21 at the Southern Division Championships at Villanova's Swimming Center in Villanova Pa. The Wolverines went 8-0 in division play and are the No. 2 seed in the tournament. U-M will face Slippery Rock at 6 p.m. on Friday (April 19) and Penn State-Behrend on Saturday (April 20) at 8:30 a.m. in pool play.
The results of pool play will determine the Wolverines' position in bracket play, which begins Saturday evening. U-M will play at either 7 p.m. on Saturday (first place in Pool C), or 9:20 p.m. on Saturday (second place in Pool C) or at 9:40 a.m. on Sunday (third place in Pool C). Michigan must finish first or second in its pool to have a chance at earning a spot at the Eastern Championships in Princeton, N.J. The top six finishers at the Southern Division Championships advance to play on April 26-28 at the Eastern Championships.
Southern Division Brackets (Seedings in parentheses)
| Pool A Princeton (1) Gannon (8) Mercyhurst (12) Pool B George Washington (4) Bucknell (5) Grove City (9) | | Pool C MICHIGAN (2) Slippery Rock (7) Penn State-Behrend (11) Pool D Indiana (3) Villanova (6) Washington & Jefferson (10) |
The complete bracket for the Southern Division Championship is available on the College Water Polo Association site.
Scouting the Opponents
Slippery Rock -- Slippery Rock University has posted a 6-2 CWPA record this season to garner the seventh seed in the Division Championships. Michigan defeated Slippery Rock 13-8 on March 10 at the Southern Division Tournament in Slippery Rock, Pa. Michigan is undefeated (3-0) all-time against Slippery Rock. Slippery Rock on the Web: www.sru.edu.
Penn State-Behrend -- Penn State-Behrend enters the Division Championships as the 11th seed with a 2-6 CWPA record. The Lions are 4-7 overall. On March 10 at the Southern Division Tournament in Slippery Rock, Pa., Michigan defeated Penn State-Behrend by a score of 17-2. Michigan holds the all-time series lead at 2-0. Penn State-Behrend on the Web: www.pserie.psu.edu.
Last Year at the Southern Division Championships
At last year's Southern Division Championships on April 6-7 in Grove City, Pa., Michigan was paired with Bucknell and Grove City in pool play. Michigan defeated both of these schools by scores of 11-6 and 16-4, respectively, to advance to the semifinal game against George Washington. The Wolverines won that contest 11-3 but lost to Princeton in the championship game 11-5. This year the top four seeds are exactly the same as last season.
U-M Wins Allegheny Region for Second Straight Season
For the second straight season, Michigan has posted an undefeated record (8-0) in the College Water Polo Association's Southern Division Allegheny Region. Michigan is one of only two teams to post perfect records in the entire Southern Division. Princeton is 6-0 in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Final Allegheny Region Standings
1. MICHIGAN 8-0 2. Indiana 7-1 3. Slippery Rock 6-2 4. Gannon 4-4 5. Grove City 3-5 6. Washington & Jefferson 2-6 7. Penn State-Behrend 2-6 8. Mercyhurst 0-8
Michigan Sweeps Division Tournament
U-M swept the competition on April 6-7 at the Southern Division Tournament at the Counsilman and Billingsley Aquatics Center in Bloomington, Ind. The Wolverines had a tripleheader on Saturday (April 6) that started with a morning game against the Lakers from Mercyhurst. Michigan set new school records for goals scored in a game and the largest margin of victory as it won by a score of 21-3. U-M carried its momentum into the second game of the day to earn a 15-4 victory against Gannon University. The Maize and Blue faced its toughest match of the tournament in the nightcap against No. 16 and divisional rival Indiana. The two teams played each other evenly in the first half and the score was knotted 4-4 going into the intermission. The Wolverine defense rose to the occasion, giving up only one goal in the second half to ensure a 7-5 victory. On Sunday (April 7) Michigan returned to the pool for its final regular-season match, against Grove City. U-M tied yet another school record, for the fewest goals allowed in a contest, in a 14-1 victory. With the sweep of the tournament, Michigan posted a perfect record (8-0) against divisional foes.
Maize and Blue Sets New Scoring Record
With 21 goals against Mercyhurst on April 6, Michigan set a new school record for most goals in a game. The previous high was 20 goals against Bucknell on Feb. 17, 2002.
Stingy Defense
By allowing only one goal versus Grove City en route to a 14-1 victory, the Maize and Blue tied the school record for the fewest goals allowed in a game. Two other times this season Michigan has held its opponent to a single tally (Iona 11-1, March 2, and Washington & Jefferson 18-1, March 19).
Quick Starters
The Wolverines used their proficient first-quarter scoring at the Southern Division Tournament as a springboard to four victories. In the first quarter, Michigan outscored its opponents 25-2 over the weekend. On the season, U-M has scored 78 first-period goals while allowing only 39.
Winning Big
In defeating Mercyhurst 21-3 on April 6, the Wolverines set the school record for largest margin of victory at 18 goals. Prior to that, the record stood at 17 when Michigan beat Washington & Jefferson 18-1 on March 19, 2002.
Leaders and Best
For the second straight season, Michigan has finished regular-season play 8-0 in the Southern Division. The Wolverines will be the No. 2 seed at the upcoming Southern Division Championships on April 19-21 at Villanova, Pa.
Stringwell Sees First Game Action
Freshman Britten Stringwell (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) saw her first game action of the season at the Southern Division Tournament on April 6-7. Stringwell has been out with a shoulder injury suffered in the Wolverines' opening weekend of play. She recorded one goal and three steals over the weekend.
Crisman Sets Personal High with Four Goals
Jen Crisman's (Hudsonville, Mich./Jenison HS) four-goal performance against Gannon on April 6 set a personal record for most goals in a contest. Her previous benchmark of three goals was set on March 10, 2002, against Penn State-Behrend. Crisman now has 23 goals on the season.
Hayes Ties School Record; Sets Career High
Megan Hayes (Atherton, Calif./St. Francis HS) became the eighth field player for the Wolverines to record four steals in a single contest when she accomplished the feat against Mercyhurst on April 6. The four-steal performance was also a personal best for Hayes. Delia Sonda (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) was the last player to notch a four-steal game, against Cal-Santa Barbara on Jan. 26. Hayes now has six steals on the season.
Kerney Breaks Scoring Record
Casey Kerney (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park HS) set the Michigan record for most goals in a season by scoring a single marker against Mercyhurst on April 6. The previous record was 33 goals set by Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) last season. Kerney went on to score three more goals in the tournament to put her goal total for the season at 37.
Sharing the Wealth
Sheetal Narsai (Commerce, Calif./Bell Garden's HS) broke the Michigan record for assists in a single season when she tallied one assist against Grove City on April 7. Narsai entered the weekend with 16 assists and tied the record previously held by Melissa Karjala against Indiana on April 6. With one assist against Grove City, Narsai broke the record and leads the Wolverines with 18 assists this season.
Armstrong Shatters Block Record; Nears 200 Saves
Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) entered the Southern Division Tournament on April 6-7 just six blocks shy of the 174-block single-season record held by Camille Clarendon (2001). Armstrong needed two games to break the record, but eight saves against Gannon on April 6 pushed her season total to 179. Armstrong added another 17 saves in the remainder of the weekend and stands at 192 blocks on the season.
Sitkowski Ties Michigan Record
With three assists against Grove City on April 7, Maribeth Sitkowski (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) tied a school record and set a career best. Delia Sonda also recorded three assists against Indiana on April 29, 2001. Sitkowski now has 12 assists on the season.
Bolhouse Posts a Career Weekend
Jeannine Bolhouse (Grandville, Mich./Grandville HS) set two career highs at the Southern Division Tournament on April 6-7. Bolhouse recorded the first two assists of her career against Mercyhurst on April 6 and notched three steals vs. Grove City on April 7. Her previous high before that was against Penn State-Behrend on March 10 when she made one steal. Bolhouse has recorded two assists and four steals this season.
Collegiate Water Polo Association National Top 20 (4/10/02)
Rank, School Pts. LW 1. UCLA 99 3 2. Stanford 95 2 Southern Cal 95 1 4. California 85 4 5. Long Beach State 79 5 6. San Diego State 73 8 7. San Jose State 69 6 Loyola Marymount 69 7 9. Cal-Davis 60 10 10. Cal-San Diego 55 9 11. Hawaii 49 11 12. Cal-Santa Barbara 45 12 13. Princeton 41 13 14. Hartwick 33 14 15. MICHIGAN 32 15 16. Indiana 22 16 17. Cal-Irvine 21 17 18. Pacific 14 18 19. Brown 13 19 20. California Baptist 3 20
Contact: Paul Dickerson, Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
