U-M Downs Harvard Behind Career Game from Utassy

Sunday, April 16

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Noon

Michigan

22-9, 9-1

Harvard

21-7, 5-4

Harvard

Michigan

Kata Utassy (Michigan Photography)

4/16/2023 2:13:00 PM | Water Polo

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By: Bridgette Underwood

» Kata Utassy led the Wolverines offensively with eight points, including a new career-high six goals and two assists.
» Alex Brown held it down between the pipes with 12 saves and not allowing any goals in the first quarter.
» Michigan completes the sweep over Harvard 15-8.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan water polo team defeated No. 20 Harvard, 15-8, behind six goals from Kata Utassy on Sunday (April 16) during senior day inside Canham Natatorium.

Kata Utassy led the Wolverines offensively with eight points, including a career-high six goals and two assists. Alex Brown held it down between the pipes with 12 saves and not allowing any goals in the first quarter.

The Maize and Blue kicked things off on senior day with a 3-0 first-quarter start. Elise Walker fired a bullet from deep to the top right corner of the goal to put Michigan on top, 1-0. Utassy lobbed the ball over the keeper to make it 2-0, while Erin Neustrom got it on the fun, finding the back of the net. Brown held the Crimson to zero goals in the first with five saves.

The Wolverines continued to roll in the second -- with five goals and only allowing one. Walker chipped in two for a hat trick. Ava Morrant found the back of the net and Ashley O'Neill scored on a half-court shot, while Issy Jackson put the Wolverines up 8-1 at the end of the first half. The Crimson found the back of the net for the first time, sneaking it just past Brown.

Utassy struck first for U-M in the second half, scoring back-to-back times with her second and third goal -- earning the second hat trick of the game for the Wolverines with a bullet to the back of the net. Harvard scored three times before Utassy scored her fourth goal on a penalty shot, giving Michigan an 11-4 lead at the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, the Crimson started strong with back-to-back-to-back goals, cutting the Michigan lead to four. However, Morrant blasted the ball through the Crimson defense to give U-M a five-goal lead back. Utassy scored two more times for her fifth and sixth goals to end the game.

Michigan will back in action at Princeton, N.J., for the CWPA Championships from April 28-30. Michigan earned the No. 2 seed.