Michigan
Harvard
Lucky No. 13: Wolverines Top Crimson, Extend Win Streak
4/9/2017 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
» Michigan ended the regular season on a 13-game winning streak.
» U-M finished undefeated in CWPA Play at 8-0 and has won 19 straight CWPA regular-season games.
» Kim Johnson became the ninth player to reach 100 points in a season.
Site: Oneonta, N.Y. (Moyer Pool)
Scores: #7 Michigan 15, #20 Harvard 7
Records: U-M (25-8, 8-0 CWPA), Harvard (12-10, 2-2 CWPA)
Next U-M Event: Fri-Sun., April 28-30 -- at CWPA Championship (Bloomington, Ind.)
ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The No. 7 University of Michigan water polo team finished its regular season on a 13-game winning streak, topping No. 20 Harvard, 15-7, in its regular-season finale on Sunday (April 9) at Hartwick's Moyer Pool.
It is the second straight season the Wolverines have ended the regular season on a double-digit winning streak. Last year, U-M won 10 straight and went on to win the CWPA Championship and first round game of the NCAA Championship. This year, Michigan closed on a 13-game winning streak and heads into the CWPA tournament with 13 straight wins, an 8-0 record in the CWPA and the No. 1 seed.
The Wolverines were determined to go undefeated in conference play for a second straight year on Sunday when they took on Harvard.
Michigan's go-to early in games recently has been senior captain Allison Skaggs, and she came through once again in this one, scoring the first two goals of the game. Harvard came back to tie the game at 2-2 with 5:14 to play in the second quarter.
Skaggs once again got things going. She created an opening inside and drew a five-meter penalty foul. Freshman Maddy Steere converted it and started a 5-0 run for the Wolverines to build a 7-2 lead into the third period.
Harvard chipped away at the lead the rest of the third quarter and brought it back down to three goals at 9-6, but sophomore Kim Johnson's third of the game with 32 seconds left made it 10-6 heading to the fourth. Johnson scored four goals to lead the team and hit the 100-point mark for the season. It is the ninth time a U-M player has scored 100 or more points as she becomes the seventh player to do so.
The goal by Johnson sparked a 6-0 run, and Michigan opened the game wide open to 15-6, before a late score by Harvard made the final 15-7.
Freshman goalkeeper Heidi Ritner capped off an amazing weekend with 10 saves and six goals allowed against the Crimson. She came out of the game with 2:58 to play.
Three players had five points in the game. Johnson had four goals and one assist. Skaggs tallied three goals, two assists and drew four exclusions. Sophomore Delaney Cleveland notched two goals and three assists.
Michigan will have three weeks off until the CWPA Tournament held April 28-30 in Bloomington, Indiana. The Wolverines will look to win their second straight conference title as they enter with the No. 1 seed and will play Friday, April 28, at 6 p.m. against the winner of the 8/9 game.
