Weekly Release #4
3/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Upcoming Schedule
Sat-Sun., March 8-9 -- host Southern Division Tournament (Canham Natatorium)
March 8 -- vs. Grove City College, 11:30 a.m.
March 8 -- vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.
March 9 -- vs. Penn State Behrend, 9:30 a.m.
March 9 -- vs. Washington & Jefferson, 2:30 p.m.
Friday, March 14 -- vs. Michigan State (Canham Natatorium), 7 p.m. (exhibition)
What's Ahead for Michigan
The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan water polo team (6-8, 0-0 CWPA) returns home to Canham Natatorium to host the first weekend of divisional play this season. This weekend's games comprise half of the conference regular-season schedule. The Wolverines complete divisional play with four more contests March 29-30. Michigan will welcome all of the other seven teams from the CWPA's Southern Division-Allegheny Region: Gannon, Grove City, Indiana, Mercyhurst, Penn State Behrend, Slippery Rock, and Washington & Jefferson. On Saturday (March 8), the Wolverines will face Grove City (11:30 a.m.) and No. 14 Indiana (7 p.m.). U-M will conclude its four-game weekend schedule on Sunday (March 9) against Penn State Behrend (9:30 a.m.) and Washington & Jefferson (2:30 p.m.).
Scouting the Opponents
Grove City College -- This season the Lady Wolverines are off to a 0-4 start under head coach Dave Fritz. Fritz took the over the team last year on an interim basis and now has an overall record of 7-15. Michigan is 4-0 all-time against Grove City, with an average margin of victory of 14 goals.
GCC on the Web: www.gcc.edu/sports
Indiana -- The Hoosiers come into this weekend's divisional play on a seven-game winning streak and with a 9-4 overall record. Head coach Barry King is in his sixth season as the coach at Indiana. King has posted a 39-26-1 record since Indiana became a varsity program in 2001. Kristin Stanford leads Indiana on offense and Jessica Goldner starts in net for the Hoosiers. Michigan defeated the Hoosiers 12-6 earlier this season at the Michigan Invitational (Jan. 25). The Wolverines lead the all-time series 10-0-1.
IU on the Web: www.iuhoosiers.com
Penn State Behrend -- Penn State Behrend kicks off its season with the divisional weekend in Ann Arbor. Paul Benim is in his third season as head coach of the Lions. Michigan is 3-0 all-time against Penn State Behrend, with an average margin of victory of 15 goals.
PSB on the web: www.pserie.psu.edu/athletics/waterpolo/index.htm
Washington & Jefferson -- The Presidents begin their season at the divisional weekend in Ann Arbor. Head coach Mike Orstein is in his fourth season at the helm of the water polo team. Michigan has a 2-0 record all-time against the Presidents, with an average margin of victory of 16.
W&J on the Web: www.washjeff.edu
In California
Michigan went 3-4 during action on its Spring Break trip to California Feb. 21-March 1. The Wolverines fell to No. 6 Loyola Marymount, 7-5, on Feb. 21 in Los Angeles, Calif., as a three-goal, fourth-quarter deficit was too much to overcome. U-M then traveled to Irvine, Calif., to face Cal State-San Bernardino and No. 18 UC Irvine on Feb. 22. Michigan roughed up the Coyotes 10-3, with Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) earning her first hat trick of the year. Unfortunately, Michigan suffered a setback in the nightcap as it struggled defensively in an 8-5 loss to the Anteaters.
After two days off, Michigan played on back-to-back days against No. 4 Long Beach State (Feb. 25) and No. 10 UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 26). The Wolverines matched up evenly in the second and third quarters with LBSU, but they were outscored 7-1 in the first and fourth periods en route to an 11-5 defeat. Against UCSB, U-M dropped a 7-6 heartbreaker after holding a 4-2 advantage at halftime. On the last day of the road trip (March 1), the Wolverines journeyed to Redlands, Calif., to participate in the Redlands Mini. Michigan dominated La Verne 13-3 as Melissa Goldberg (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis HS) tallied a school-record-tying three assists and Nisbet notched her second hat trick of trip. In the finale against Redlands, U-M posted a 9-3 victory with Meg Knudtsen (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS) and Casey Kerney (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park HS) each garnering three goals apiece. Erin Brown (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) also tied the school record with three assists vs. Redlands.
Southern Division Explained
The Collegiate Water Polo Association is divided into the Northern and Southern Divisions. The Southern Division consists of the Allegheny and Mid-Atlantic Regions. Michigan competes in the Allegheny with teams from Gannon, Grove City, Indiana, Mercyhurst, Penn State Behrend, Slippery Rock and Washington & Jefferson. Every team within the Allegheny Region will play each other once. Each year the teams will play a different team twice to complete the eight-game conference schedule. This year Michigan is scheduled to play Washington & Jefferson on two occasions (March 9 and March 30).
Following the regular season, the eight teams from the Allegheny Region will combine with the five teams from the Mid-Atlantic Region (Bucknell, George Washington, Princeton, Salem International and Villanova) for the Southern Division Championship (April 11-13). The seedings for the championships are based on divisional records.
Following the conclusion of the Northern and Southern Division Championships, the top six teams from each championship compete in the Eastern Championship (April 25-27). The winner of the Eastern Championship receives the CWPA's automatic bid to the NCAA Final Four, held this year on May 10-11 in San Diego, Calif. More information about the CWPA can be found at its website: www.collegiatewaterpolo.com
Southern Division Dominance
Michigan has gone a perfect 8-0 in each of its first two seasons in Southern Division play. In 2001 U-M faced Grove City two times. The Wolverines matched-up with Indiana twice last season. Michigan won both the Southern Division Championship and the Eastern Championship during the 2002 season.
Armstrong Goes for 10
Goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) recorded at least 10 saves in five of the Wolverines' seven games during the spring break trip. Armstrong had 11 saves vs. Loyola Marymount (Feb. 21), 10 vs. UC Irvine (Feb. 22), 12 vs. Long Beach State (Feb. 25), 12 vs. UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 26) and 12 vs. Redlands (March 1). Over the seven-game span, she totaled 68 saves, including 12 while Michigan's opponent was on the power play.
Brown and Goldberg Lending a Hand
Erin Brown and Melissa Goldberg each tied a school record with three assists at the Redlands Mini tournament (March 1). Brown's record-tying performance came vs. Redlands while Goldberg's was vs. La Verne in the morning game. Three other Wolverines have accomplished this feat: Delia Sonda (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS), Sheetal Narsai (Commerce, Calif./Bell Gardens HS) and Maribeth Sitkowski (2001-02). It is also the second time Brown has posted three assists in a game. For Goldberg, it is her first time in the Michigan record books.
Please Refrain from Throwing Your Hats in the Pool (Part 1)
Casey Kerney recorded her team-leading third hat trick of the season vs. Redlands (March 1). She scored twice in the third period and once in the fourth to round out her three-goal performance. Kerney is now tied with Julie Nisbet for Michigan's career lead with seven hat tricks.
Please Refrain from Throwing Your Hats in the Pool (Part 2)
Julie Nisbet scored a pair of hat tricks during this year's spring break trip. Her first came vs. Cal State-San Bernardino (Feb. 22) and she tallied the second vs. La Verne (March 1). Nisbet now has two hat tricks this year. She is tied with Casey Kerney for Michigan's career lead with seven hat tricks. Nisbet also tied career highs with four drawn kickouts vs. Long Beach State (Feb. 25) and three steals vs. Redlands (March 1).
Please Refrain from Throwing Your Hats in the Pool (Part 3)
Meg Knudtsen also got in on the action, scoring the first hat trick of her career vs. Redlands (March 1). She scored once in the second period and then topped off her performance with a pair of goals in the fourth quarter. Knudtsen also tied a career high with two assists vs. La Verne earlier in the day.
Taking One For the Team
Vickie Brown (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) notched her first career kickout drawn vs. Redlands (March 1). Brown drew one ejection and one four-meter penalty against the Bulldogs.
Pelino Sets Career Highs vs. the Jaguars
Emily Pelino (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) set a career high with the first multi-goal game of her career against La Verne (March 1). To go along with her two goals, Pelino tied a career high with three steals in the game.
Freshman Steps Up on D
Kristin Hoogenboom (Portland, Ore./Sunset) recorded her first goal, steal and drawn kickout over the spring break trip. Hoogenboom scored vs. La Verne (March 1) and earned one kickout and one four-meter penalty vs. UC Irvine (Feb. 22). However, the freshman defender made her biggest impact stealing the ball twice against Cal State-San Bernardino (Feb. 22), La Verne, and Redlands (March 1).
Collegiate Water Polo National Top 20 Poll (2/26/03)
Rank, School Points LW 1. Stanford 100 1 2. Southern California 95 3 3. UCLA 90 2 4. Long Beach State 85 4 5. California 80 5 6. Loyola Marymount 75 6 7. San Diego State 70 7 8. Hawaii 63 9 9. UC San Diego 59 10 10. UC Santa Barbara 51 T12 11. San Jose State 49 8 12. Hartwick 45 15 13. MICHIGAN 42 11 14. Indiana 40 T12 15. UC Davis 37 47 16. Princeton 24 16 17. Brown 18 17 18. UC Irvine 16 18 19. Arizona State 9 20 20. Pacific 5 NR
Contact: Paul Dickerson, Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
