Michigan
UCLA
Wolverines Split on Second Day of Michigan Invitational
1/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Event: Michigan Invitational
Score: #1 UCLA 13, #11 Michigan 3; #11 Michigan 10, Slippery Rock 3
Records: U-M (2-2), SRU (0-2)
Next U-M Event: Friday, Feb. 4 -- at UC San Diego (San Diego, Calif.), 6 p.m. PST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The ninth-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo team split its final two games of the Michigan Invitational on Sunday (Jan. 30) to finish the tournament with a 2-2 mark. The Wolverines dropped a 13-3 decision to No. 1 UCLA in the first game of the day but rebounded with a 10-3 victory over Slippery Rock to close out the tournament.
Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) and Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) led the way against the Bruins. Armstrong made 15 saves in 25 minutes against UCLA and Welch added a pair of fourth-quarter markers for Michigan. Megan Hausmann (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) and Wesley Ellison (Portola Valley, Calif./Palo Alto HS) also contributed to the offensive effort with a combined six drawn ejections against the Bruins.
The Wolverines started strong against UCLA, creating numerous scoring chances and holding the Bruins off the board through the first three minutes of the match. On U-M's first possession, Ellison drew an ejection on the Bruins, but on the ensuing power play, Welch's attempt hit the right post and was collected by the defense. U-M's defense was equally solid, with Armstrong coming up with three saves to keep the game scoreless after two minutes of play.
The Bruins scored the first goal of the game to take a 1-0 lead with 4:10 remaining in the first quarter. UCLA went on to score the next six goals of the match and held a 7-0 lead at the half.
Following the intermission, Michigan tightened up defensively, holding UCLA to outside shooting to start the third quarter. The Wolverines finally got on the board with a power-play goal by Meg Knudtsen (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS). Following a drawn ejection by Hausmann, Sheetal Narsai (Commerce, Calif./Bell Gardens HS) found Knudtsen near the left post with a cross-net pass. Knudtsen skipped the ball just inside the goal post to make the score 7-1 at 4:37.
UCLA responded with a 4-0 run to take an 11-1 lead with 5:37 remaining in the game. Michigan closed the gap to 11-3 with a pair of goals by Welch. With just over three minutes left on the clock, Welch received a pass from Knudtsen at the point and sent a skip shot from five meters out just inside the left post. After a Michigan stop on the defensive end, the Wolverines found Welch on the counterattack, creating a one-on-one with the UCLA goalkeeper. Welch fired the ball to the right side of the net, picking up her second goal of the game. UCLA scored the final two goals of the game to pick up the win.
In the second game of the day against Slippery Rock, Michigan utilized a balanced attack with eight different Wolverines reaching the scoreboard. U-M took a quick lead with a power-play goal by Vickie Brown (Santa Ana, Calif./Foothill HS) at 4:49. Slippery Rock answered with a penalty shot at 1:39, but the Wolverines regained their one-goal lead on a second power-play score with just over one minute to play in the first quarter. Lindsey Hitchcock (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) found Rebecca Godek (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) with a crossing pass to the left side of the SRU net and Godek sent the shot near-side for the goal.
Michigan scored a pair of goals to open the second quarter and take a 4-1 lead with 2:41 remaining in the first half. With less than one minute to play in the half, Slippery Rock drew to within two goals with a marker by Rose Schiavon at 0:19, but Michigan answered before the horn with a late goal by Kristin Hoogenboom (Portland, Ore./Sunset HS) to take a 5-2 lead at halftime.
The Wolverines dominated the second half, scoring five straight goals to open up a 10-2 lead with 3:36 to play in the game. Jennie Smith (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto HS) led the charge with a pair of second-half goals for U-M. Slippery Rock scored the final goal of the game with four seconds remaining on the clock to bring the final tally to 10-3.
Michigan will take its first road trip of the season with a road game at UC San Diego on Friday (Feb. 4) at 6 p.m. PST. The Wolverines will then stay in San Diego to participate in the Triton Invite on Feb. 5-6. Both events will take place at UCSD's Canyonview Pool.
GAME SUMMARIES
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| UCLA | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Scoring
UCLA Goals: Kelly Rulon 4, Brittany Rowe 2, Natalie Golda 2, Molly Cahill, Katie Flanagan, Thalia Munro, Monique Blanchard, Kristina Kunkel. Michigan Goals: Shana Welch 2, Meg Knudtsen. Ejections: UCLA 8, U-M 5.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Slippery Rock | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Michigan | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
Scoring
SRU Goals: Erika Brunner 2, Rose Schaivone. U-M Goals: Kristin Hoogenboom 2, Jennis Smith 2, Jo Antonsen, Erin Brown, Carly Strub, Vickie Brown, Rebecca Godek, Jamie Brown. Ejections: SRU 6, U-M 2.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On how the team rebounded after the loss to Indiana ... "I think we rebounded well. UCLA is a team that is already in midseason form and we played well despite coming off a game in which we had the opportunitites to win and didn't take advantage. The game was much closer than the scoreboard indicated. We did not have our power play down and you have to be able to take advantage of those opportunities."
On what the team needs to work on to improve ... "Our power play definitely needs some work. We are trying to incorporate some younger players into our rotation and it is going to take them some time to understand our defense. Seven goals is too many to give up against a good team like Indiana. Hopefully next time we'll be better."
On how the new players handled the opening weekend ... "I guarantee that if you ask any of them they will tell you there were nervous. This is a new level for them. That is why we play such good competition to start the season. I want them to get all the jitters out of their system early."
U-M Senior Goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong
On the weekend ... "It started off really well, but it was a little disappointing at the same time. It really showed us what we need to do to work harder and improve."
N O T E S
Betsey Armstrong posted 15 saves against UCLA to record her second game of the season with 10 or more stops. Armstrong has now made 10 or more saves in 54 of her 98 career games.
Lindsey Hitchcock tied a Michigan record with five steals against Slippery Rock. Hitchcock is the fifth Wolverine to accomplish the feat.
Megan Hausmann set a career high with four drawn ejections against UCLA. Her previous best was three drawn kickouts against Indiana (1/24/04).
Lauren Burel tallied three drawn ejections against Slippery Rock to set a career high.
Against Slippery Rock, Jennie Smith scored her first career goal at Michigan. Smith totaled two goals in the game and added an assist and a steal.
Contact: Paul Dickerson (734) 763-4423
