Michigan
Slippery Rock
Michigan Steamrolls Its Way Into Southern Division Final
4/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo team advanced to the Southern Division Championships final with a pair of wins today (Saturday, April 12) at Bucknell's Arthur D. Kinney Jr. Natatorium. The Wolverines (19-9) defeated Slippery Rock 18-3 to advance to the semifinal contest, in which they beat George Washington 14-2.
| | Antonsen tallied a hat trick against Slippery Rock and added a pair of goals against George Washington. |
Goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) finished the day with 20 saves, including 13 in a complete-game effort against George Washington. Armstrong only played the first half against Slippery Rock.
In the opening game against Slippery Rock, Michigan scored six goals in the first period, including a penalty shot by Narsai just 1:21 into the game. The Wolverines scored four more times in the second period and were able to shut out Slippery Rock in the first with solid defensive play. Michigan held a 10-0 halftime lead.
The Wolverines continued to dominate Slippery Rock in the third quarter, outscoring The Rock 5-0 in the stanza. Kristin Hoogenboom (Portland, Ore./Sunset HS) scored the final goal of the period on the Wolverines' second penalty shot of the game. Slippery Rock finally got on the board with three tallies in the fourth quarter but U-M answered with three goals of its own to make the final score 18-3.
In the semifinal contest, Michigan carried its momentum from the early-round games and took a 4-0 lead after the first quarter. The Wolverines also scored the first three goals of the second quarter, and it appeared Michigan would take a 7-0 lead into halftime. However, George Washington got on the board with five seconds on the clock to make the score 7-1 at the intermission.
U-M did not let up in the third quarter, increasing its lead to 10-2 by the end of the period. Michigan's defense took over in the final frame, shutting the Colonials out in the period. The Wolverines managed to score four more goals in the fourth quarter, making the final score 14-2.
The Wolverines will face Indiana for the Southern Division championship on Sunday (April 13) in the first-place game at 3:15 p.m. It is the third straight year Michigan has advanced to the final. Michigan is 2-0 against the Hoosiers this season.
GAME SUMMARIES
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Slippery Rock | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Michigan | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 18 |
Slippery Rock Goals: Bridgette Rhoades, Diana Buck, Sarah Enis. Michigan Goals: Jo Antonsen 3, Sheetal Narsai 3, Megan Hausmann 3, Julie Nisbet 2, Casey Kerney, Abbi Rowe, Vickie Brown, Rachel Burkons, Kirstin Hoogenboom, Meg Knudtsen, Melissa Goldberg. Ejections: Slippery Rock 6, Michigan 2.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| George Washington | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Michigan | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
George Washington Goals: Kira Cannon 2. Michigan Goals: Stephanie Morse 3, Casey Kerney 3, Jo Antonsen 2, Sheetal Narsai 2, Julie Nisbet, Meg Knudtsen, Megan Hausmann, Melissa Goldberg. Ejections: George Washington 4, Michigan 5.
Q U O T E S
U-M Head Coach Matt Anderson
On the game against Slippery Rock ... "We looked really good. We came out very strong in the first half. I was a little worried they might hang around like the last time we played when the score was 10-4. I am glad we finished them early."
On what the team is doing that is allowing it to play so well ... "We are really getting up and down the pool. We have turned our defense up a notch, like we had yet to do this season. The ladies are really executing well defensively. I hope that it keeps up for another game."
On facing Indiana in the final ... "We figured it was going to be Michigan vs. Indiana coming into the tournament. The two teams have established themselves as being the two best teams on the East Coast. Tomorrow we will decide who will win the Southern Division crown and be the favorite for the No. 1 seed at the Eastern Championships."
N O T E S
The Wolverines advanced to the Southern Division Championship final for the third consecutive year. Michigan beat Princeton 10-9 in the 2002 title game after losing 11-5 to the Tigers in the 2001 final.
Against Slippery Rock Megan Hausmann recorded her second hat trick since coming back from injury. It is the fourth hat trick in the freshman's career.
Sheetal Narsai posted her fourth hat trick of the season against Slippery Rock. It is Narsai's fifth career hat trick.
Jo Antonsen's hat trick against Slippery Rock is her first of the season and the second of her career.
Stephanie Bongiovi-Hogner set a career high with eight saves against Slippery Rock. Bongiovi-Hogner bested her seven-save performance in yesterday's (April 11) game vs. Salem International.
Betsey Armstrong recorded 13 saves against George Washington. It is the 15th time she has posted 10 or more saves in a game this season and the 29th time in her career.
Casey Kerney also posted her fourth hat trick of the season. Kerney's hat trick came against George Washington. She now has a school-record eight hat tricks in her career.
Stephanie Morse scored her second hat trick of the season and the third of her career.
Julie Nisbet set a career high with three assists against George Washington.
Contact: Paul Dickerson (734) 763-4423
