Weekly Release #4
2/27/2001 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Tuesday, Feb. 27 -- at Long Beach State (Long Beach, Calif.), 4 p.m. PST
Wednesday, Feb. 28 -- at San Diego State (San Diego, Calif.), 2 p.m. PST
Wednesday, Feb. 28 -- at Cal-San Diego (La Jolla, Calif.), 6 p.m. PST
Sat-Sun., March 3-4 -- at Southern Division Tourney (Erie, Pa.)
March 3 -- vs. Penn State-Behrend (12:30 p.m.), vs. Grove City (4:15 p.m.)
March 4 -- vs. Washington & Jefferson (10 a.m.), vs. Gannon (1 p.m.)
What's Ahead for the Wolverines
The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan water polo team (6-6-1) will travel to Long Beach, Calif., to take on No. 7 Long Beach State on Tuesday (Feb. 27) at 4 p.m. PST at the Campus Pool. Michigan will close out its California adventure with a doubleheader on Wednesday (Feb. 28) when it travels to San Diego to take on No. 16 San Diego State (6 p.m. PST) at the Bud Kearns Pool. Four hours later the Wolverines journey to La Jolla, Calif., to compete against No. 10 Cal-San Diego at the Canyonview Pool.
Michigan will return to Ann Arbor for a one-day rest before heading east to compete in the Southern Division Tourney on Saturday and Sunday (March 3-4) in Erie, Pa. The round-robin tournament will be split between the campuses of Gannon University and Penn State-Behrend. The Wolverines will play Penn State-Behrend (12:30 p.m.) and Grove City (4:15 p.m.) Saturday at Gannon, then face Washington & Jefferson (10 a.m.) and Gannon (1 p.m.) Sunday at Penn State-Behrend.
Scouting the Opponents
Long Beach State -- The 49ers hold a 6-3 record on the season ... They are ranked No. 7 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association poll ... LBSU finished fifth at the UCSB Gaucho Tournament ... LBSU on the web: www.LongBeachState.com.
Cal-San Diego -- The Division II Tritons are 4-6 during the 2001 season, after finishing 13th at the Gaucho Tournament ... Michigan has faced UCSD once this season (Feb. 24), defeating Cal-San Diego 9-8 in overtime in the second round of the Gaucho Tournament ... The Tritons are led by Emma Kudritzki, who has notched 10 goals this season ... UCSD on the web: athletics.ucsd.edu.
San Diego State -- The No. 16 Aztecs finished ninth at the Gaucho Tournament on Feb. 25 ...SDSU holds a 7-5 record on the season after finishing the 2000 season ranked fifth in the nation ... SDSU on the web: www.goaztecs.com.
Penn State-Behrend -- The Behrend Lions do not begin their season until March 2 ... They have a young squad, boasting nine freshmen, six sophomores and only one senior ... Penn State-Behrend on the web: www.pserie.psu.edu.
Grove City -- Grove City has a 1-2 record in its second season as a varsity sport ... In its first season, GCC went 0-21 ... The Wolverines earned their first win with a 12-11 decision over Salem International ... Grove City on the web: www.gcc.edu/sports.
Washington & Jefferson -- Washington & Jefferson does not begin 2001 play until March 3 ... The Presidents finished No. 8 in the Division III Top 10 last year with a 6-16 record ... Washington & Jefferson on the web: www.washjeff.edu.
Gannon -- The Aqua Knights do not begin season play until March 3 ... Gannon finished the 2000 season with a 9-3 record ... Gannon on the web: www.gannon.edu/sports.
U-M Falls to Third-Period Flurry at Loyola Marymount
The Wolverines opened their trip west with a 9-4 loss to No. 12-ranked Loyola Marymount on Thursday (Feb. 22) at the Burns Recreation Center Pool in Los Angeles, Calif. Michigan took the lead after the first period and ended the half down by only one, but LMU turned on the offense in the third, burying five goals in the seven-minute period. Michigan received a team-high two goals from junior Delia Sonda (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS).
Michigan Finishes 11th at Gaucho Tournament
The Wolverines finished 11th at the 16-team Gaucho Tournament, hosted by Cal-Santa Barbara on Feb. 24-25 at the Recreation Center Pool in Santa Barbara, Calif. Michigan finished the two-day event with a split 2-2 record, defeating Cal-San Diego and Princeton and falling to Southern Cal and Cal-Davis.
Michigan Splits Opening Games -- The Wolverines opened the tournament with a 17-2 loss to No. 3 Southern Cal before defeating No. 10 Cal-San Diego 9-8 in overtime on Saturday (Feb. 24). In the morning game against USC, the Wolverines received both of their goals from freshman Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS), while the Trojans pounded the ball into the net 17 times. Six Wolverines scored during regulation play of their second game of the day against Cal-San Diego. Mandi Hagedorn (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) and Rachel Burkons (Van Nuys, Calif./Harvard Westlake HS) each notched two goals, but it was Nisbet who put the game away on a goal in the first three-minute overtime period.
Wolverines Close Out Tournament with Loss, Win -- The Wolverines finished the Gaucho Tournament with a 10-4 loss to No. 11 Cal-Davis and a 10-9 victory over No. 17 Princeton on Sunday (Feb. 25). Four different Wolverines scored against Cal-Davis, but they were unable to stop the onslaught of goals from the Aggies, who notched goals four times in both the second and fourth periods. Michigan regrouped for the final round matchup against Princeton. Julie Nisbet tallied three goals, and Rachel Burkons and Stephanie Rupp (Hemet, Calif./Hemet HS) both contributed two goals. After a tied first period, Michigan found the net three times in the second. Despite an attempted comeback from the Tigers, Michigan held Princeton one goal behind as time expired.
Welcome Home
Nine members of the Michigan squad are visiting home this week on the team's 2,300-mile journey west. One goalie, three 2-Meters, four drivers and one 2-Meter Defender call the state of California home.
| Name | Hometown (High School) |
| Rachel Burkons | Van Nuys, Calif. (Harvard Westlake) |
| Camille Clarendon | Redlands, Calif. (Redlands) |
| Katherine Gregg | Newport, Calif. (Newport Harbor) |
| Megan Hayes | Atherton, Calif. (St. Francis) |
| Chelsea Kay | Laguna Hills, Calif. (Laguna Hills) |
| Corrie Kenagy | Lake Forest, Calif. (El Toro) |
| Julie Nisbet | Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara) |
| Monica Paz | Santa Monica, Calif. (Harvard Westlake) |
| Stephanie Rupp | Hemet, Calif. (Hemet) |
Playing in the Backyard
Seven members of the team hail from the Ann Arbor area. Four attended Huron High School and three attended Pioneer High School. Huron graduates include Delia Sonda, Emily Pelino, Mandi Hagedorn and Melissa Karjala, while Pioneer produced Angela Galardi, Abbi Rowe and Christy Lilley.
Six more members of the squad grew up in the state of Michigan. Stephanie Morse and Sara Kowal are natives to Rockford and Jeannine Bolhouse hails from Grandville. Closing out the Michigan link are Torye Santucci (East Lansing), Katie Critchell (Grosse Pointe) and Jen Crisman (Hudsonville).
Rounding Out the Pack
The three remaining members of Michigan's roster come from states other than those of Michigan and California. They are Maribeth Sitkowski (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS), Nora Schroeder (Orland Park, Ill./Marian Catholic HS) and Kristen Bloomstrom (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS).
Michigan Firsts
The Wolverines have been making history this season in their inaugural season as the 13th women's varsity sport at the University of Michigan.
First win: Michigan 18, Villanova 6 -- at Princeton Invitational (Feb. 9)
First loss: Hawaii 12, Michigan 6 -- at Princeton Invitational (Feb. 11)
First tie: Michigan 4, Indiana 4 -- at Michigan Invitational (Feb. 18)
First Michigan goal: Mandi Hagedorn -- 0:56 vs. Villanova (Feb. 9)
First opponent goal: Villanova's Carrie Boyle -- 4:33 (Feb. 9)
First home Michigan goal: Abbi Rowe -- 7:41 vs. Michigan State (Feb. 17)
First home opponent goal: Michigan State's Kristen Jonson -- 11:31 (Feb. 17)
First home varsity goal: Mandi Hagedorn -- 3:00 vs. Stanford (Feb. 17)
First home varsity opponent goal: Stanford's Margie Dingeldein -- 0:43 (Feb. 17)
First game at Canham: Michigan vs. Michigan State (Feb. 17)
First varsity game at Canham: Stanford vs. Indiana (Feb. 17)
The First Captains
Seniors Christy Lilley (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) and Melissa Karjala (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) along with junior Delia Sonda (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) will serve as captains for the Wolverines in their inaugural season.
Setting a Milestone
Junior Mandi Hagedorn scored the first goal in the short history of varsity water polo only 56 seconds into the match against Villanova on Feb. 9 at the Princeton Invitational.
Setting a Milestone II
Sophomore Abbi Rowe (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) made history on Feb. 17, netting the first varsity water polo goal at Canham Natatorium. After a scoreless first period for both Michigan and Michigan State, Rowe found the net 41 seconds into the second.
Crisman Wins Big Ten Swimming Title
Senior driver Jen Crisman (Hudsonville, Mich./Jenison HS), an All-America swimmer who will join the water polo team after the swimming season is over, won her fourth straight Big Ten Conference title in the 100-yard backstroke at the 2001 Big Ten Championships on Feb. 16 in Bloomington, Ind. With her time of 53.99, she became only the eighth swimmer in Big Ten history to win the same event for four consecutive years. Crisman also swam on two winning relay teams while helping U-M to its 13th Big Ten title.
Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 20 Poll (2/21/01)
Rank, School Pts. LW 1. Stanford 99 1 2. UCLA 93 2 3. Southern Cal 92 3 4. California 85 4 5. San Jose State 79 5 6. Hawaii 76 6 7. Long Beach State 69 7 8. Cal-Santa Barbara 66 8 9. MICHIGAN 53 9 10. Cal-San Diego 50 11 11. Cal-Davis 47 10 12. Loyola Marymount 39 T15 13. Brown 38 12 14. Massachusetts 32 13 15. Pacific 31 18 16. San Diego State 30 14 17. Princeton 27 17 18. Indiana 20 T15 19. Harvard 8 19 20. California Baptist 7 20
Contact: Valerie Perkin (734) 763-4423
