Michigan
Santa Clara
Welch's Hat Tricks Boost U-M Past Broncos, Sagehens
3/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Site: Pomona, Calif. (Haldeman Pool)
Event: Pomona Tournament
Scores: #8 Michigan 8, Santa Clara 3; #8 Michigan 9, Pomona-Pitzer 2
Records: U-M (19-7)
Next U-M Event: Sat-Sun., March 27-28 -- at CWPA Divisional Weekend (Grove City, Pa.)
POMONA, Calif. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo team notched two more victories today (Sunday, March 21) to make a clean sweep of the Pomona Tournament. The Wolverines (19-7) earned an 8-3 victory over Santa Clara in the morning at Claremont's Axelrood Pool and came back in the afternoon with a 9-3 win over host school Pomona-Pitzer in Haldeman Pool.
Junior Erin Brown (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) and freshman Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) had stellar offensive days. Brown posted three goals and a pair of assists against Santa Clara and had two more markers against the Sagehens. Welch was just as impressive, notching four goals against Santa Clara and three more and three steals against Pomona-Pitzer. In net for the Wolverines, Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) had nine saves against Santa Clara and 14 against the Sagehens.
In the Santa Clara match, Michigan started the game with a three-goal run to take a quick lead. Welch scored the first goal of the game at 5:31 with a shot from the left side that bounced off the post and in. Three minutes later, Brown gave the Wolverines a 2-0 lead with a cross-cage shot that sailed into the upper left corner of the net. Welch then completed the run with 26 seconds to play in the first quarter with a six-on-five goal from the middle of the pool. Wesley Ellison (Portola Valley, Calif./Palo Alto HS) drew a penalty with the shot clock winding down, giving U-M a new 35. With both teams in transition, Welch was able to get open in the middle of the pool for the score. Santa Clara was able to get on the board in the final seconds of the opening period, making the score 3-1 after one period of play.
The second quarter belonged to Michigan, as Brown tallied the only goals of the period. The junior gave U-M a 4-1 lead with 5:03 to play until the half when she fired a shot through the hands of the Santa Clara goalkeeper. Brown then completed her hat trick with a goal out of the hole set at 2:42 that gave the Wolverines a 5-1 lead heading into the locker room.
Santa Clara struck first in the second half, drawing within three goals, 5-2, with a power-play goal at 6:03. Michigan answered with a pair of goals to take a 7-2 lead into the final period. With Santa Clara's defense shifted to the right, Brown found Welch on the left side for her third goal of the game. With just under one minute left in the third quarter, Brown found Welch again on the same play for U-M's seventh marker of the match.
The pace of the game slowed in the fourth quarter, with neither team able to score through the first five minutes of play. Ellison finally broke the drought, giving Michigan a 8-2 lead with 1:38 to play. Santa Clara answered just 48 seconds later to cap the scoring.
In the afternoon session, Michigan got off to a quick start with goals on its first two possessions of the game. Brown converted on a lob shot from five meters out and Sheetal Narsai (Commerce, Calif./Bell Gardens HS) scored on a skip shot from the left side of the net. The Wolverines kept the pressure on Pomona-Pitzer, increasing their lead to 3-0 with a fast-break score from Welch. U-M capped the scoring in the first quarter with a four-meter penalty shot by Narsai. Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) drew the penalty attempting a tip-on shot on a fast break. At then end of the first quarter, Michigan held a 4-0 lead.
The Wolverines continued their strong play in the second quarter, outscoring the Sagehens 2-0 in the period. Welch gave the Wolverines a 6-0 lead on a counterattack score. Welch received the pass up from Ashley McCullum (Poway, Calif./Poway HS) and beat the goal keeper with a soft lob shot when the keeper came out to play the ball. With one minute to play before the half, Clare Peyrebrune (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita HS) gave the Maize and Blue a 6-0 lead with a power-play goal from six meters out.
Pomona-Pitzer mounted a comeback in the third quarter, outscoring U-M 2-0 in the period. The Sagehens cut Michigan's lead to 6-1 at the 6:34 mark and then drew within four, 6-2, with 47 seconds to play in the quarter.
The Wolverines stifled the comeback, going on a three-goal run to seal the victory. Welch scored on a sidearm shot on the counterattack with 6:14 to play and Brown made the score 8-2 with a shot from the right side at 5:24. Jo Antonsen (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura HS) closed out the game with 2:59 to play.
Michigan will travel to Grove City, Pa., on March 27-28 for the second CWPA weekend of the year. The Wolverines will play five matches over the weekend, starting with Gannon at 12:30 p.m. Saturday (March 27).
GAME SUMMARIES
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Santa Clara | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Michigan | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
Scoring
Santa Clara Goals: Katie Radvanyi 2, Kellie Dunn. Michigan Goals: Shana Welch 4, Erin Brown 3, Wesley Ellison. Ejections: Santa Clara 7, Michigan 4.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Pomona-Pitzer | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Michigan | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
Scoring
Pomona-Pitzer Goals: Lauren Moore, Lara Kruska. Michigan Goals: Shana Welch 3, Sheetal Narsai 2, Erin Brown 2, Clare Peyrebrune, Jo Antonsen. Ejections: Pomona-Pitzer 5, Michigan 3.
Contact: Paul Dickerson (734) 763-4423
