Michigan
Indiana
Wolverines Fall to No. 13 IU to Finish Second at Eastern Championship
5/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center)
Event: CWPA Eastern Championship (Finals)
Scores: #13 Indiana 5, #6 Michigan 3
Records: U-M (32-5), Indiana (25-11)
Next U-M Event: Season Complete
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan water polo team had its run of three straight CWPA Eastern Championship titles come to an end in a 5-3 loss at No. 13-ranked Indiana in Sunday's (May 1) conference final match at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center.
Sophomore Alex Adamson (Coronado, Calif./Coronado) made three stops in the cage, aided by five steals from senior Alison Mantel (Miami, Fla./Gulliver) and three more from sophomore Kiki Golden (Danville, Calif./Monte Vista).
Michigan fell behind early when it staked Indiana to a 3-0 lead early in the second period. U-M's response began with a floater from senior Ryley Plunkett (Modesto, Calif./Johansen) from seven meters out that slipped under the bar. Four minutes later, sophomore Lauren Colton (Tustin, Calif./Tesoro) took a pass at two meters and shook off a defender long enough to turn and skip a shot past the keeper. The Maize and Blue streak continued with 24 seconds remaining on a skip shot by senior Keller Felt (La Jolla, Calif./La Jolla) to tie the game at 3-3. IU converted a late power play to take a 4-3 advantage into halftime.
The Wolverines could not chip away at the lead in the third period but kept the game close to set up the fourth-period run. After IU scored early in the period to take a 5-3 lead, Michigan's defense found another gear, ending seven incursions with steals. Adamson kept the game within reach, sliding post to post to stymie a two-on-one attempt in the final seconds of the frame. Michigan continued to generate chances in the final frame but could not find the back of the cage before the final horn.
Michigan concludes the 2011 season with a CWPA Western Division crown and the program record for fewest losses (5) and highest winning percentage (.865).
GAME SUMMARY
| By Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Michigan | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Indiana | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
U-M Goals: Lauren Colton, Keller Felt, Ryley Plunkett.
IU Goals: Shae Fournier 3, Kara Butler, Lauren Wyckoff.
Saves: U-M 3 (Alex Adamson), IU 12 (Cassie Wyckoff)
Exclusions: U-M 6, IU 3
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
First Team
Cassie Wyckoff (Goalie), Indiana
Lauren Wyckoff, Indiana
Jakie Kohli, Indiana
Charlotte Mensink, Hartwick
Allison Campbell, Maryland
Devan Kennifer, Harvard
Kiki Golden, Michigan
Second Team
Jessica Dorman (Goalie), Hartwick
Lauren Colton, Michigan
Alison Mantel, Michigan
Kandis Canonica, Bucknell
Shannon Leonard, Hartwick
Kate Rigler, Princeton
Kate Woods, Brown
MVP: Cassie Wyckoff, Indiana
Rookie of the Tournament: Charlotte Mensink, Hartwick
Doc Hunkler Coach of the Tournament: Carl Salyer, Maryland
NOTES
• Playing in their final games in Maize and Blue were seniors Alison Mantel, Cara Reitz, Keller Felt, Sarah Roberts, Lauren Orth and Ryley Plunkett. The winningest class in program history, they went 134-33 during the most successful stretch in program history.
• Senior Sarah Roberts appeared in her 167th career game today, matching Mary Chatigny (167, 2006-09) as the most experienced player in program history.
• Senior Lauren Orth's point streak came to an end at 42 games. During the second-longest streak in program history, Orth tallied 57 goals and 44 assists.
• Senior Cara Reitz tallied the 200th point of her career, an assist, to become the 11th player in program history to reach the plateau. Reitz has tallied 128 goals and 72 assists in 157 career contests.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On what he said to the team ... "One loss does not define you. We have had as great of a four-year run as any team in the nation. Only one other team has won their conference four years in a row and that was 2001 to 2005 when LMU did it. No one else has approached four in a row. So I just said it doesn't define you, we went 77-2 against the conference in four years. The problem is, it was their last game and that is going to hurt them a little bit more. I've been around enough to know you are not going to win them all, and if you do, you appreciate it. If you don't (win), you keep trying to move forward."
On the offensive output ... "Complete credit to Indiana. After the first couple minutes, seeing how the game was being called, I knew it was going to be a low-scoring game. We had our opportunities, but we shot as bad as we could have shot. Indiana gave us some very good looks. Cassie (Wyckoff) won MVP and she played well. But the few wide-open looks we had, we made the wrong decision and that's what it came down to. Indiana played well enough to force us into making bad decision. To be a good team, like Indiana is, you need to do well within your game plan and have a little bit of luck. Take nothing away from Indiana, they won the game. I just wish we could have shot a little better."
U-M Junior Meagan Cobb
On the offense ... "I think luck just wasn't on our side this game. We had some great opportunities and some great shots that just weren't falling. That's what happens."
