Michigan
Princeton
Michigan Honors Seniors with Two Conference Wins
4/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
» Michigan honored its four seniors before the Harvard game Saturday night
» Kim Johnson and Kelly Martin combined for eight goals in a 9-7 win over Princeton
» Senior Ali Thomason had four goals and four steals against Harvard
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Event: Senior Day
Score: #8 Michigan 9, #16 Princeton 7; #8 Michigan 10, #13 Harvard 5
Records: U-M (22-6, 3-0 CWPA), Princeton (13-5, 0-2 CWPA), Harvard (19-6, 1-2 CWPA)
Next U-M Event: Saturday, April 16 -- vs. Bucknell and Hartwick (Princeton, N.J.)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan water polo team rewarded its four seniors for their dedication to the program with wins over No. 16 Princeton (9-7) and No. 13 Harvard (10-5) on Saturday (April 9) at Canham Natatorium.
Prior to the nationally televised night game against Harvard, head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi honored his four seniors with flowers and balloons shaped in their cap number in front of a large Canham crowd of nearly 400. Julia Campbell, Kelly Martin, Emily Sejna and Ali Thomason were recognized for their dedication to the program and its six pillars: culture, leadership, teamwork, accountability, respect and communication.
The four seniors ended their home careers on a high note with two victories over ranked conference foes. Campbell made 14 saves while earning each of the two wins in goal. Martin had five goals and drew five exclusions on the day, Sejna played solid minutes off the bench in the two victories, and Thomason notched four goals and four steals in the win over Harvard.
Game 1: Michigan 9, Princeton 7
With the seniors the center of attention on the day, it was freshman Kim Johnson who stole the show for the Wolverines. The rookie from Walnut Creek, California, scored a career-high five goals and had two steals to lead Michigan to a 9-7 victory.
Princeton jumped on Michigan early with the first two goals of the game. An unbelievable effort by Thomason on a ball that looked like a turnover turned into her beating three defenders for the first U-M goal of the contest. Johnson then took a pass inside from her older sister, Danielle Johnson, to tie the score at 2-2 after the first quarter.
The Tigers scored the first goal of the second period to take a 3-2 lead, but Michigan went on one of its runs that have so often put teams away this year. The Wolverines scored the game's next five goals, three of which came from Kim Johnson. The other two were by Martin, who Leonardi said on Friday was a cross between a bulldog and a rock.
Martin would end up with her eighth hat trick of the season, closing out the win with a goal at the 3:18 mark of the fourth period. She made it 9-7 after Princeton clawed back to make it a one-goal game in the fourth. Neither team would score the rest of the way.
Campbell made seven saves in goal as U-M held the Tigers to their third-lowest goal total of the season.
Game 2: Michigan 10, Harvard 5
Just before Michigan took on Harvard in a Big Ten televised game, Leonardi got emotional when talking about his four seniors.
After the presentation, it took a while for either team to get on track offensively as the only goal in the first quarter was a smooth lob shot by junior Allison Skaggs.
The offenses opened up in the second period as a combined six goals were scored. Michigan netted four of those to lead 5-3 at the half. Back-to-back goals by Thomason kickstarted the Wolverines.
U-M built a 7-2 advantage and went to the bench for an extended period of time. A 3-0 run by Harvard made it a two-goal game, but Michigan tightened the screws in the last five minutes and did not allow another goal.
During the fourth quarter, the seniors led the charge. Thomason converted her second penalty shot of the game to give her a game-high four goals to go with four steals. Martin put in her second of the game and fifth on the day to finish the scoring. Campbell made three saves while holding the Crimson scoreless the final 5:24 minutes.
Kim Johnson added to goals and an assist and sophomore Caroline Anderson chipped in three assists and three steals as Michigan improved to 3-0 in the CWPA and 22-6 overall.
Michigan will travel to Princeton, New Jersey, for its final four games of the regular season next weekend. The Wolverines take on Bucknell and Hartwick on Saturday (April 16) and George Washington and Brown on Sunday (April 17).
