Michigan
Penn State-Behrend
Michigan Completes Sweep of Southern Division Weekend
3/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Event: Southern Division Tournament
Scores: #13 Michigan 11, Penn State-Behrend 4; #13 Michigan 14, Washington & Jefferson 4
Records: U-M (10-8, 4-0 CWPA)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 14 -- vs. Michigan State (Canham Natatorium), 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo team turned in two dominating performances today (Sunday, March 9) on the second day of the Southern Division weekend at Canham Natatorium. The Wolverines defeated Penn State-Behrend 11-4 in the opening game and then earned a victory over Washington & Jefferson by a score of 14-4.
Meg Knudtsen (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS) shattered a school record with seven assists against Penn State-Behrend. Against Washington & Jefferson, Erin Brown (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) and Stephanie Morse (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) each notched her first hat trick of the season. With the sweep of the weekend, Michigan (10-8, 4-0 CWPA) improved its all-time record in regular-season divisional play to 20-0.
In the first game against Penn State-Behrend (0-4, 0-4 CWPA), the Wolverines scored on their two possessions, taking a 2-0 advantage with 5:47 on the clock. Vickie Brown (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) scored U-M's third marker at the four-minute mark. Michigan's next three goals came over a 90-second span, two of which came from Rachel Burkons (Van Nuys, Calif./Harvard Westlake HS). Four of the Wolverines' six goals in the quarter were assisted by Knudtsen and the sophomore scored the other two to make the score 6-0.
Michigan scored two more goals in the second quarter, with each assist going to Knudtsen. Heather Karjala (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) scored at 5:28 and Lindsey Hitchcock (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) scored at 4:24. Penn State-Behrend's best scoring chance came in the final seconds of the half, but the shot hit the post, leaving Michigan with an 8-0 lead.
Penn State-Behrend scored first in the third period with a marker with 3:31 left in the quarter. Michigan answered with another goal from Hitchcock with the assist again from Knudtsen. Penn State went on a two-goal run with a score with one minute left in the third and the second coming one minute into the fourth quarter. Stephanie Bongiovi-Hogner (Miami, Fla./Palmetto HS), the Wolverines' reserve goalkeeper, played in the field for the second half and scored her first career goal with 3:10 left in the game. Both teams went on to score one more goal before time ran out.
To start the finale against Washington & Jefferson (1-3, 1-3 CWPA), Michigan scored six times in the opening five minutes of the first quarter. Morse had three of the tallies while Erin Brown had two, with one being assisted by goalie Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS).
To begin the second quarter, Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) and Burkons exchanged goals and assists with Burkons scoring first at 6:33. Nisbet then earned her marker at 4:49. Washington & Jefferson finally got on the board as Deidre Sandrock scored one of her three goals with 4:21 left in the period. Knudtsen ended the first-half scoring when she spun off of her defender at two meters and sent the ball into the left of the cage, giving U-M a 9-1 halftime edge.
The Wolverines and Presidents exchanged goals in the third quarter with Angela Mostardi (Elmhurst, Ill./Fenwick HS) scoring the lone marker for U-M. In the final seven minutes, goalies Jessica Falarski (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont HS) and Armstrong were given the opportunity to leave the Michigan goal and play in the field, and both players were able to record the first goals of their careers. Washington & Jefferson earned two late goals to cap the scoring, 14-4.
The Wolverines next face Michigan State in an exhibition game on Friday (March 14) at 7 p.m. at Canham Natatorium. During the game Michigan will honor its four seniors -- Morse, Emily Pelino (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS), Abbi Rowe (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) and Delia Sonda (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) -- in their final home game at Michigan.
Game Summaries
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Penn State-Behrend | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Michigan | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
Penn State-Behrend Goals: Sarah McGarvey 2, Christine Williams, Tara Braden. Michigan Goals: Rachel Burkons 2, Meg Knudtsen 2, Lindsey Hitchcock 2, Stephanie Bongiovi-Hogner, Vickie Brown, Chelsea Kay, Heather Karjala, Melissa Goldberg. Goalie Saves: Penn State-Behrend 2 (Lauren Parker), Michigan 9 (Stephanie Bongiovi-Hogner 4, Jessica Falarski 5). Ejections: Penn State-Behrend 0, Michigan 8.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Washington & Jefferson | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Michigan | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 14 |
Washington & Jefferson Goals: Deidre Sandrock 3, Kristina Springborn. Michigan Goals: Erin Brown 3, Stephanie Morse 3, Betsey Armstrong, Jessica Falarski, Delia Sonda, Rachel Burkons, Julie Nisbet, Meg Knudtsen, Jineane Shibuya, Angela Mostardi. Goalie Saves: Washington & Jefferson 3 (Kelly Skubick), Michigan 13 (Jessica Falarski 5, Betsey Armstrong 3, Stephanie Bongiovi-Hogner 3, Melissa Goldberg 1, Rachel Burkons 1). Ejections: Washington & Jefferson 1, Michigan 0.
N O T E S
Michigan remains undefeated all time in regular-season divisional play with a 20-0 record.
Michigan had five different players play in goal: Betsey Armstrong, Stephanie Bongiovi-Hogner, Melissa Goldberg and Rachel Burkons.
Meg Knudtsen set a Michigan record with seven assists against Penn State-Behrend.
Against Washington & Jefferson Stephanie Morse scored her second career hat trick and Erin Brown posted her fourth career hat trick.
Betsey Armstrong and Jessica Falarski eached scored her first career goal vs. Washington & Jefferson, while Stephanie Bongiovi-Hogner got her first career goal against Penn State-Behrend.
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Matt Anderson
On if this tournament sets up the postseason ... "It does to a degree. The dark horse is Princeton. We do not play them and Indiana does not play them. We will play them at the Southern Division Championships, but in what round I am not sure. A lot of the other teams feared Indiana because of how they have been playing and they saw that Michigan might have been wobbling a little due to injuries. This makes everyone realize that they will have to go the same route as last year, through Michigan in the postseason."
Contact: Paul Dickerson, Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
