U-M Drops Heartbreaker to No. 11 Princeton in CWPA Championship Final

Sunday, April 28

Cambridge, Mass.

Noon

Michigan

21-11

Princeton

23-6

Michigan

Princeton

(Michigan Photography)

U-M Drops Heartbreaker to No. 11 Princeton in CWPA Championship Final

4/28/2024 2:34:00 PM | Water Polo

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Alex Whisnant

Site: Cambridge, Mass. (Blodgett Pool)
Event: CWPA Championship Final
Score: #11 Princeton 10, #13 Michigan 9
Records: U-M (21-11), Princeton (23-6)
Next U-M Event: Season Completed

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan water polo team battled but fell to No. 11 Princeton 10-9 on Sunday (April 28) in the CWPA Championship final at Blodgett Pool. The Wolverines held a 7-6 lead heading into the fourth quarter, but four Tigers goals over the final eight minutes sunk the Maize and Blue in its final game of the 2024 season.

Kata Utassy shined on both ends of the pool, tallying her second hat trick in as many games and stepping in for Alex Brown and making a clutch penalty save after Brown was excluded. Alison Lock scored twice, including U-M's first goal of the contest. Emma Gustafsson, Lulu Hirschfield, Kaia Levenfeld and Elise Walker each found the back of the net to round out the attack. Brown was solid once again in net for Michigan, racking up nine saves in her final game as a Wolverine.

Princeton (23-6) got on the board first at 7:11 in the opening quarter before Lock quickly tied it at one apiece less than 30 seconds later. After the initial scoring flurry, both defenses dominated the first quarter, only interrupted by Levenfeld's tally to give U-M its first lead of the game, 2-1.

Utassy calmly finished on a penalty shot to put Michigan (21-11) up 3-1 at 5:39 in the second. Utassy was instrumental in the Wolverines' second goal of the period as she found Walker in the middle and tapped the ball home to propel U-M to a 4-1 advantage. Princeton responded with a two-goal outburst to close out the half and make the score 4-3 with one half remaining.

U-M started the third quarter with a flourish as Hirschfield and Lock found paydirt to restore the three-goal lead, 6-3, with 5:42 to go in the frame. The Tigers scored consecutive goals to pull back within one before Gustafsson whistled a ball past the Princeton goalie from distance to put Michigan back up by two, 7-5. Princeton scored on its next possession and had the opportunity to tie the game after it drew a penalty, but Utassy stopped the penalty shot to keep Michigan in front 7-6 heading to the final eight minutes.

Princeton found a surge of momentum in the fourth quarter, scoring three unanswered goals to turn the game on its head and go up 9-7. Utassy put the team on her back and scored twice in the span of minute to tie the game at nine with 1:45 to go. Princeton scored the decisive 10th goal on its next trip down the pool and held on for the final 1:21 to secure its second straight CWPA Championship title.

All-Tournament Team

Most Valuable Player: Kayla Yelensky (Princeton University)
Rookie of the Tournament: Emma Gilbert (Harvard University)
Doc Hunkler Coach of the Tournament: Felix Mercado (Brown University)

First Team
Lindsey Lucas (Goalkeeper) - Princeton University
Kayla Yelensky - Princeton University
Rachael Carver - Princeton University
Kata Utassy - University of Michigan
Libby Alsemgeest - University of Michigan
Ruby Hodge - Harvard University
Emese Szucs - Saint Francis University

Second Team
Alex Brown (Goalkeeper) - University of Michigan
Claire Poissonnier - Brown University
Madeleine Poissonnier - Brown University
Sophie Golub - Brown University
Isabelle Monaghan - Bucknell University
Emma Gilbert - Harvard University
Maya O'Dea - Harvard University

Honorable Mention
Roxanne Hazuka (Goalkeeper) - Brown University
Kaila Carroll - Princeton University
Ava Houlahan - Princeton University
Meera Burghardt - Princeton University
Boati Motau - Bucknell University
Kaity Greenwald - Harvard University
Caylah Olay - Saint Francis University
Elise Walker - University of Michigan