U-M Sweeps First Day of Wolverine Invitational with Wins Over Salem, San Jose State

Saturday, March 4

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:15 PM

Michigan

12-7

Salem

5-7

Salem University

Michigan

(Michigan Photography)

U-M Sweeps First Day of Wolverine Invitational with Wins Over Salem, San Jose State

3/4/2023 9:21:00 PM | Water Polo

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Boxscore (Salem)PDF Boxscore (San Jose State)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Bridgette Underwood

» Kata Utassy led Michigan with seven total points on the day, tallying six goals and one assist over the two games.
» Between the pipes, Alex Brown recorded 19 saves while only letting in six goals.
» Michigan is back in action on Sunday (March 5) for the second day of the Michigan Invitational, facing Bucknell at 9:15 a.m. and Saint Francis at 12:45 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked Wolverines (12-7) kicked off the weekend with an 18-2 victory over Salem before defeating No. 20 San Jose State 9-4 on the first day of the Wolverine Invitational on Saturday (March 4) at Canham Natatorium.

Kata Utassy led Michigan with seven total points on the day, tallying six goals and one assist over the two games. Between the pipes, Alex Brown recorded 19 saves while only letting in six goals.

Game 1: Michigan 18, Salem 2

The Maize and Blue came storming out of the gate with Utassy finding the back of the net just 15 seconds into the first quarter against Salem. One minute later, Erin Neustrom deposited a shot into the net for a 2-0 lead, and Utassy fired a shot from five meters out not even two minutes into the game for a three-goal advantage. Neustrom followed suit and added her second goal of the contest before Ashley O'Neill fired a bulled to push Michigan ahead 5-0 with four minutes left in the frame. Ava Morrant found the back of the goal thanks to a great pass from O'Neill, then Neustrom collected a hat-trick goal to give Michigan a 7-0 lead. With just under a minute to play in the first quarter, Salem snuck one past Alex Brown to make it a six-point deficit heading into the second quarter.

When play resumed for the second quarter, Grace Harbaugh picked up where U-M left off with a lob shot goal right over the goalie, then fired a shot to the upper left corner just 31 seconds later to give Michigan a 9-1 lead. The Tigers scored their final goal of the game in the second quarter before Alison Lock skipped the ball right past the goalie and give Michigan a 10-2 lead heading into halftime.

Riley Chapple was the first to strike in the second half, taking advantage of a penalty shot, and Lock followed with another penalty shot to make it 12-2. Chapple added her second goal of the game less than two minutes later, with the assist coming from Lock. Lulu Hirschfield and Brooke Ingram scored back-to-back goals to end the third quarter up 15-2.

In the final quarter of play, Chapple scored her third goal of the game to earn her second-career hat trick. Libby Alsemgeest then beat the goalie twice within 27 seconds to push Michigan to an 18-2 win.

O'Neil led the Wolverines with five points in the victory, while Neustrom and Chapple each recorded a hat trick. Madie Ambrose was a star between the pipes in the second half with eight saves and no goals allowed.

Game 2: Michigan 9, San Jose State 4

Michigan went down 1-0 in its second game of the day but Neustrom responded within 12 seconds to even things up. With five minutes to play in the frame, however, San Jose State scored its second goal and took a 2-1 lead into the second quarter.

Chapple got things going in the second with a cross-cage goal to even it up at 2-2. Morrant got in on the fun with a bullet to the back of the net on a breakaway, then Utassy found the back of the net with 17 seconds left in the quarter.

In the third quarter, Utassy took advantage of the penalty shot to take a 5-2 lead. Morrant scored her second goal of the game with the assist coming from Brown, who threw it the length of the pool. With 38 seconds left on the clock, the Spartans grabbed their third goal of the game, making it 6-3 in favor of U-M heading into the final quarter.

Utassy recorded two more goals -- her third and fourth of the game -- to give Michigan a comfortable 8-3 lead, and Monroe tacked on another for six-goal lead, 9-3. The Spartans added one at the 2:23 mark, but it was not enough as Michigna took the game by a 9-4 score.

The Wolverines are back in action on Sunday (March 5) for the second day of the Michigan Invitational inside Canham Natatorium. Michigan will face Bucknell at 9:15 a.m. before hosting Saint Francis at 12:45 p.m. for the Wolverines' Pride Game. Admission is free for all contests.