Michigan Earns Program's First Shutout in Two-Win Day

Saturday, April 12

College Park, Md.

1:00 PM

Michigan

George Washington

Michigan Earns Program's First Shutout in Two-Win Day

4/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo

Site: College Park, Md. (Eppley Recreation Center)
Event: Terrapin Tournament (Day 1)
Scores: #11 Michigan 13, George Washington 0; #11 Michigan 15, Maryland 12 (OT)
Records: U-M (26-9), George Washington (7-17), Maryland (20-12)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 13 -- vs. Bucknell at Terrapin Tournament (College Park, Md.), 3 p.m.

Notes & Quotes

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan water polo team blanked George Washington 13-0 Saturday (April 12) to open the Terrapin Tournament with the first shutout in program history. Sophomore Kimberly Gero(Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo) was the goalie of record in the historic victory, making five stops in the contest. The Wolverines edged host Maryland 15-12 in overtime to take the second game of the day at the Eppley Recreation Center.

Junior Sharayah Hernandez(Pico Rivera, Calif./El Rancho) had four goals and four assists in an eight-point effort against Maryland, setting career highs in all three categories. Junior Mary Chatigny(Palm Springs, Calif./Palm Springs) contributed a pair of markers in each game, and freshman Lauren Orth(Poway, Calif./Poway) had five points. Junior Brittany May(Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara) made four blocks in the evening contest between the posts.

Hernandez and Orth controlled the Wolverine offense in the nightcap. Neither registered a first-half shot before accounting for six of Michigan's nine goals after halftime. Coming out of the break, Maryland grabbed two quick markers to knot the game at 6-6. Following a timeout called by U-M head coach Matt Anderson after the second Terrapin goal, junior Julie Hyrne(Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) drew a penalty shot. Orth came off the bench and deposited the five-meter penalty into the cage. On the next U-M possession, Orth dented the twine again with a shot from the outside. Hernandez scored 1:16 later to give the Wolverines a 9-6 lead at the end of three periods.

The Terrapins did not relent, scoring four of the next five goals, interrupted only by a Hernandez goal at 4:22. With two minutes left in regulation, Hernandez completed her second career hat trick to give the Maize and Blue an 11-10 advantage. The lead lasted only 22 seconds, as the Terrapins scored at 1:38 to force overtime. Chatigny got Michigan started in the first extra frame, scoring on a counterattack breakaway, followed by Hernandez's fourth goal of the night. Maryland scored with six second remaining to pull within one goal heading into the second overtime.

Sophomore Leah Robertson(Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) put some distance between the teams, swimming the length of the pool to find the back of the cage and give U-M a 14-12 lead. Senior Michelle Keeley(Rockford, Mich./Rockford) concluded the Wolverine scoring from two meters at 1:35 in the second overtime period.

Neither team had much luck scoring until the last 25 seconds of the first period. Hyrne got her first of two markers to start the scoring. The teams appeared to be heading into the first intermission tied at 1-1 when Maryland scored with eight seconds left, but a long toss from freshman Alison Mantel(Miami, Fla./Gulliver) at mid-pool found the back of the cage as the horn sounded.

Maryland knotted things at 2-2 in the second period before the Wolverines launched into a four-goal run. Robertson scored 1:07 into the frame, followed by goals from sophomore Terri Bukofzer(Vernon Hills, Ill./Stevenson), Chatigny and junior Kelsey Haley(Portola Valley, Calif./Menlo). The Terrapins responded with a pair of their own to start a four-goal run that extended into the second half.

Gero set the tone early against the Colonials in the day's first game, knocking away a point-blank attempt on the first shot of the game. Freshmen Orth and Ryley Plunkett(Modesto, Calif./Johansen) aided in the defensive effort with two steals apiece. Sophomore Farren Rixter(Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) broke a scoreless tie 3:36 into the second period to give the Wolverines a 1-0 advantage. Two minutes later, Mantel sparked a four-goal flurry from the Maize and Blue to give U-M a 5-0 advantage at the break.

The third stanza belonged to Chatigny, who sandwiched goals around an Orth goal to extend the lead to 8-0. Chatigny scored just over a minute into the period and again with 1:13 remaining in the frame. Her second marker came on a counterattack feed from Plunkett, who caught Chatigny midstride on the left side, where she threaded the ball over the outstretched arms of the George Washington goalkeeper.

Four freshmen combined to score five times in the final period to propel the Wolverines to the 13-0 victory. Sarah Roberts(Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) and Plunkett scored within 20 seconds of each other early in the stanza. Keller Felt(La Jolla, Calif./La Jolla) hit the back of the cage twice, once at 5:38 and again with 1:02 remaining, and Kim Culpan(Hillsborough, Calif./Sacred Heart) rounded out the scoring with a marker on a rebound attempt with two seconds left.

Michigan will play in its regular-season finale tomorrow (Sunday, April 13) against Bucknell. Opening sprint is set for 3 p.m. in College Park, Md.

GAME SUMMARIES