Michigan
Stanford
Wolverines Drop Pair of Matches at Anteater Invite
2/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Site: Irvine, Calif. (Corona del Mar High School)
Event: Anteater Invitational
Score: #2 Stanford 16, #16 Michigan 4; #11 Arizona State 8, #16 Michigan 7
Records: U-M (9-6)
Next U-M Event: Sat-Sun., Feb. 24-25 -- in Anteater Invitational (Irvine, Calif.)
IRVINE, Calif. -- The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan womens water polo team dropped a 16-4 decision to No. 2-ranked Stanford in the morning, and fell 8-7 to No. 11-ranked Arizona State in the evening, on day one of the Anteater Invitational -- which features the top 16 teams in the nation -- at Corona del Mar High School. The Wolverines battled back early to gain a 4-3 lead in the second period against Sun Devils, but came up on the wrong end of a one-goal barnburner. Senior Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming West Valley) scored in both contests, extending her streak of scoring in every game this season.
Welch tallied a hat trick in the morning contest against the second-ranked Cardinal, but that was not enough for the Wolverines to pull off the upset. Michigan stood tall against its formidable opponent, trading chances in the first frame and entered the second down 3-1. Welch earned the first goal for U-M.
Facing a 5-2 deficit midway through the second, Michigan had its chance to turn the game around on sophomore Carrie Frosts (Saline, Mich./Saline) five-meter penalty shot attempt. Unfortunately, her shot was knocked away by Cardinal goalkeeper Meredith McCall and after two failed 6-on-5 opportunities late in the period, Michigan went into the half down 7-2.
The Wolverines earned a goal in each period in the second half. Welch scored in the third on a laser, and freshman Farren Rixter (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) converted out of two meters in the fourth, but Michigan could not regain the momentum the rest of the way and the final buzzer sounded with the final score at 16-4.
Michigan opened the scoring in the evening contest with Arizona State on a power-play tally by freshman Leah Robertson (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor). The Sun Devils then came back with three goals of their own to build a 3-1 lead at the end the first.
Michigan finally found its rhythm to start the second, using the counterattack to reel off three straight goals and gain a 4-3 lead midway through the period. Sophomore Sharayah Hernandez (Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) started the comeback on a breakaway, and sophomore Julie Hyrne (Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) followed with a rocket shot on the counterattack. Welch completed the barrage on a breakaway of her own to give U-M the temporary 4-3 advantage. Arizona State was able to calm the game down and evened the score 4-4 out of a timeout. Neither team could gain the advantage the rest of the half and the two teams went into halftime tied.
The Sun Devils took control again to start the second half, scoring three times in the first six minutes of the third. Freshman Terri Bukofzer (Vernon Hills, Ill./Stevenson) answered for Michigan on the counter to begin another furious comeback, reducing the deficit to 7-5 at the end of the third. Robertson added her second score to bring U-M within one to start the final period before ASU extended the advantage again on the next possession. Frost's score with two minutes remaining gave Michigan a chance. With time winding down, the Wolverines carried the ball into the half court as Hernandez received a cross-court pass and had a good look on the cage, but her shot sailed just high and Michigan fell short, 8-7.
The Wolverines will face No. 15 Long Beach State at 11:45 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 24) at Corona del Mar High School. A Wolverine win would place them in the 13th-place game at 4 p.m. against the winner of No. 19 Santa Clara and No. 14 UC San Diego; a loss would place them in the 15th-place game at 5:15 p.m. against the loser of that match. Both games are slated to take place at Corona del Mar High School.
GAME SUMMARIES
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Michigan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Stanford | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 16 |
Scoring
U-M Goals: Shana Welch 3, Farren Rixter. Stanford Goals: Jacquelyn Gauthier 2, Kelly Eaton 2, Alex Koran 2, Alison Gregorka 2, Lauren Silver, Kelsey Holshouser, Kira Hillman, Katie Hansen, Kelly Donahue, Heather West, Jessica Steffens. Ejections: UM 10, Stanford 9
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Michigan | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Arizona State | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
Scoring
U-M Goals: Leah Robertson 2, Terri Bukofzer, Carrie Frost, Julie Hyrne, Shana Welch, Sharayah Hernandez. ASU Goals: Katie Hedley 2, Amanda Stepp 2, Kim Buck, Addison Doud, Bonnie Chapman, Lindsay Williams. Ejections: U-M 12, ASU 5.
Contact: Matt Baumer (734) 763-4423
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On the match vs. No. 2 Stanford ... "Bottom line is, it was 5-2 with two and a half minutes left in the half. We then missed a penalty shot and immediately missed a breakaway and then we came down and missed a 6-on-5. They are No. 2 in the nation because then they scored two goals in the last two minutes of the half. What should have been a 5-3 or 5-4 game at halftime became 7-2. It was a valiant effort on our part for the first half, but those missed opportunities are jumped on by a national championship caliber team. We got up and down the pool very well with them and did some good things on defense, but unfortunately, when a team of that level gives you an opening, you have to take it before they shut the door. That is why Stanford is at that level right now."
On the match vs. No. 11 Arizona State ... "We came back strong and we definitely won the battle of getting up and down the pool. We did a great job of pushing the offense and creating the chances. We did not do such a good job of finishing. We played well enough to put more points on the board and win on the board, and with an extremely young team like we have, hopefully this will stick in their mind so the next time we can finish a bit better."
On tomorrow's competition ... "The young ladies cannot let the disappointment of a win they could have had tonight defeat them from coming back and playing well tomorrow. We have Long Beach State tomorrow, who for years has been a strong team and we have to be ready to play. Then we have to be ready again to play another ranked team. The opportunity is there to defeat ranked teams, and hopefully we will come out tomorrow and be ready to play again."
