Michigan
UC Santa Barbara
Michigan Drops One-Goal Decision at UC Santa Barbara
2/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo team fell to No. 10 UC Santa Barbara by a score of 7-6 today (Wednesday, Feb. 26) at UCSB's Campus Pool. The Wolverines (4-8) were tied with UCSB (6-3) at the start of the fourth quarter, but a six-on-five score from the Gauchos and an errant shot in the final minute by U-M led to the loss.
Meg Knudtsen (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS) scored a career-high two goals for the Wolverines and goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) made 12 saves. Casey Kerney (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park HS) added a pair of assists to go along with her lone marker. The 49ers' Teresa Gorbett led all scorers with four goals.
Neither team was able to muster much offense throughout the majority of the first quarter. In the second minute of the game Jo Antonsen (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura HS) injured a finger on her shooting hand and did not return. The game remained scoreless until UCSB gained a 1-0 advantage with 1:51 remaining in the period. Michigan was not able to respond in the period and the Gauchos took a 1-0 lead into the second quarter.
UCSB converted on the power play with 4:20 left in the second quarter to extend their lead to 2-0. The Michigan offense answered with four straight goals in the final three minutes of the second period. Stephanie Morse (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) started the run with 3:01 to go before the half. Abbi Rowe (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) tied the game at two with 2:19 on the clock, and Kerney gave Michigan the one-goal lead 30 seconds later. Knudtsen scored her first goal of the game to complete the flurry with just under one minute remaining in the half, and Michigan held a 4-2 lead at the intermission.
The Gauchos brought the game to within one goal on their second power-play goal with 5:14 left in the third period. On its next possession, UCSB tied the game and then with 3:41 on the clock, Michigan was whistled for a penalty. The Gauchos converted on the attempt and regained a one goal lead, 5-4. UCSB scored one more goal in the next minute to make the score 6-4 with three minutes to go in the third period. U-M responded with a pair of goal in the final minute. Knudtsen cashed in for her second tally at 0:58 and Stephanie Rupp (Hemet, Calif./Hemet HS) knotted the game at six with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
The game remained tied at six through the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. With just under five minutes to go in the game, UCSB was awarded a six-on-five opportunity, and the Gauchos converted on the power play to take a one goal lead, 7-6. Neither team had a scoring opportunity until the Wolverines were earned a six-on-five advantage with 0:40 left to play. Michigan moved the ball around on offense until it found an open shot, but the attempt sailed high, hit the crossbar and bounced over the net and out of play.
Michigan has two days off until it participates in the Redlands Mini tournament on Saturday (March 1) in Redlands, Calif. The tournament will complete the Wolverines' spring break trip.
GAME SUMMARY
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
Michigan Goals: Meg Knudtsen 2, Casey Kerney, Abbi Rowe, Stephanie Morse, Stephanie Rupp. UCSB Goals: Teresa Gorbett 4, Erika Clark 2, Alaina Whitaker. Ejections: Michigan 7, UCSB 5.
N O T E S
Meg Knudtsen scored a career-high two goals, while Casey Kerney tied a career high with two assists.
Michigan has a 0-4 record all-time against UC Santa Barbara. Every game has been decided by one goal.
Q U O T E S
Head Coach Matt Anderson
On the final possession ... "We had the shot we wanted and the person we wanted to take the shot but we just did not get the result we were looking for. An inch lower and we are going into overtime."
On Jo Antonsen's injury ... "It happened much like Megan Hausmann's injury, but I do not think it is as bad. It happened two minutes into the game. It was the same finger, her ring finger on her left hand. We really had to change some things around after that happened, but the girls really stepped up and gave a good effort."
On the trip so far ... "We have had two one-goal losses on this trip. Unfortunately, I thought we played well enough to win. We just have to be that much better to win games out here on the West Coast.
Contact: Paul Dickerson, Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
