Weekly Release #8
4/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Upcoming Schedule
Fri-Sun., April 11-13 -- at Southern Division Championships (Lewisburg, Pa.)
April 11 -- vs. Salem International, Noon
April 12 -- vs. Slippery Rock or vs. Mercyhurst, 9 a.m. or 10:15 a.m.
April 12 -- Bracket Play, TBA
April 13 -- Championship Round, TBA
Fri-Sun., April 25-27 -- at Eastern Championships (Boston, Mass.)
What's Ahead for Michigan
The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan water polo team begins the postseason with the Southern Division Championships on Friday through Sunday (April 11-13) in Lewisburg, Pa. The Wolverines garnered the top-seed in the tournament thanks to their perfect 8-0 divisional record. Michigan starts the Southern Division Championships with a contest against Salem International on Friday (April 11) at noon. Depending on the results of the first game, Michigan will then face either the winner or the loser of the Slippery Rock vs. Mercyhurst game on Saturday (April 12) at either 9 a.m. or 10:15 a.m. If the Wolverines can win both of their round-robin games, they will face the winner of Bracket B in the first semifinal game on Saturday (April 12) at 3:15 p.m. The third-place game and the championship game are scheduled to be held Sunday (April 13) at 2 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., respectively. All games will be played at Bucknell's Arthur D. Kinney Jr. Natatorium.
Southern Division Championships Seeding
| Bracket A 1. Michigan 8. Slippery Rock 12. Mercyhurst 13. Salem International | Bracket B 4. George Washington 5. Bucknell 9. Washington & Jefferson | Bracket C 2. Princeton 7. Gannon 11. Penn State-Behrend | Bracket D 3. Indiana 6. Villanova 10. Grove City |
Scouting the Opponents
Slippery Rock -- Slippery Rock has posted a 20-8 record so far this season under fifth-year head coach Jim Yeamans. Slippery Rock earned the No. 8-seed at the Southern Division Championships with a 5-3 conference record. Shannon Holt and Karolyn Kiefer lead Slippery Rock with 85 and 65 goals, respectively. Lynn Boutin handles the goalkeeping duties and has 312 saves this season. Michigan has never lost to Slippery Rock in five contests between the schools. This season Michigan defeated Slippery Rock 10-4 on March 29 at the Southern Division Tournament in Washington, Pa.
Slippery Rock on the web: www.sru.edu/pages/5157.asp
Mercyhurst -- The Lakers are the No. 12-seed at the Southern Division Championships with a 6-14 overall record and a 0-8 mark in the conference. Head coach Curtis Robinette is in his first season at the helm of the Lakers. Ann Markley leads Mercyhurst with 81 goals and Cindy Haibach is first on the team with 17 assists. Goalkeeper Christina Pantoja has recorded 134 saves this season and has a 10.3 goals-against average. Michigan has a 2-0 all-time record against Mercyhurst. This season Michigan defeated the Lakers 19-5 on March 29 at the Southern Division Tournament in Washington, Pa.
Mercyhurst on the Web: www.mercyhurst.edu/Athletics/at.asp
Salem International -- Head coach Keith Bullion leads first-year program Salem International into the Southern Division Championships looking for the school's first league victory. Salem International posted a 0-8 record in the regular season and is the No. 13 seed at the Division Championships. Michigan has never faced Salem International.
Salem International on the Web: www.salem-teikyo.wvnet.edu/athletics
Southern Division Championships
For the third straight year, Michigan looks to compete in the Southern Division Championship final. In 2001, Michigan lost to Princeton 11-5 in the championship game. Michigan avenged the 2001 loss with a 10-9 victory over the Tigers for the 2002 championship. If Michigan can win the Championships again this season, it will likely garner the top seed at the upcoming Eastern Championships, which determine which team will represent the CWPA at the NCAA Final Four.
Leaders and Best
Michigan finished the Southern Division regular season with a perfect 8-0 record for the third consecutive year. The Wolverines also clinched their third straight Southern Division title and a No. 1 seed at the Southern Division Championships. Michigan now has a 24-0 all-time record in regular-season Southern Division competition.
At the Arizona State Desert Challenge
The Wolverines finished the regular season by going 2-1 at the Arizona State Desert Challenge on Saturday and Sunday (April 5-6) in Tempe, Ariz. Michigan dropped its first game of the tournament on Saturday against No. 7 Loyola Marymount 11-2 but rebounded against No. 19 Arizona State later that evening 7-5. U-M finished the tournament with a 6-4 victory over No. 9 San Jose State. Michigan held SJSU scoreless for the last 13:34 of the first to take a 3-1 halftime lead and the Wolverine never looked back. The Spartans are the highest ranked opponent Michigan has beaten in the program's three-year history. Casey Kerney (Severna Park, Md./Severna Park HS) and Sheetal Narsai (Commerce, Calif./Bell Gardens HS) led Michigan's offense with four goals each over the weekend and goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) made 35 saves in the Wolverines' three games. Armstrong also eclipsed the 500-save mark in her career against Loyola Marymount, becoming the first Wolverine to do so.
How the West Was Won
With a 6-4 decision over No. 9 San Jose State, Michigan earned its second victory over a top-10 opponent in the program's three-year history. The Spartans became the highest ranked opponent Michigan has ever beaten. Michigan's previously defeated No. 10 UC San Diego 9-8 overtime in overtime on Feb. 24, 2001.
Armstrong Tops 500
Sophomore goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong recorded her 500th career save against Loyola Marymount midway through the second quarter. She is Michigan's career leader in saves and the first Wolverine to top the 500-save mark. Armstrong totaled 35 saves over Michigan's three games this past weekend, pushing her career total to 531.
Welcome Back
Michigan had a pair of players return from injury to participate in the Arizona State Desert Challenge. Sophomore Jo Antonsen (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura HS) returned to score two goals and hand out one assist after missing 10 games due to an injured finger. Senior/junior Abbi Rowe (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer HS) also returned after missing 10 games due to a head injury.
Give Her Three
Sophomore Sheetal Narsai connected on a trio of penalty shots against San Jose State to record her third hat trick of the season and the fourth of her career. Narsai now has 25 goals this season, good for second on the team.
Eyeing the Record Book
With seven steals this past weekend, Sheetal Narsai closed within four steals of Michigan's season steals record. The record of 47 steals was set last year by Jen Crisman (2001-02) Narsai leads the Wolverines with 43 steals this season.
Taking One for the Team
Junior Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) holds the Michigan career mark with 139 career drawn kick-outs. Nisbet added to her total this weekend with three drawn penalty shots against San Jose State (April 6). All three fouls led to goals by Sheetal Narsai and were crucial in Michigan 6-4 victory.
Joining the Club
Sophomore Meg Knudtsen (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS) scored only one goal this past weekend but it was enough to give her 20 goals this season. Knudtsen joins Casey Kerney, Sheetal Narsai and Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) as the only Wolverines to score 20 or more goals this season. Kerney is tops on the team with 26 tallies, followed by Narsai with 25. Nisbet has scored 22 goals this season.
Collegiate Water Polo National Top 20 (4/2/03)
Rank, School Points LW 1. UCLA 99 1 2. Stanford 96 2 3. Southern Cal 89 3 4. Long Beach State 85 4 5. California 80 5 6. San Diego State 74 6 7. Loyola Marymount 71 7 8. Hawaii 62 8 9. San Jose State 58 9 10. UC Santa Barbara 54 11 11. UC San Diego 53 10 12. MICHIGAN 44 12 13. Princeton 39 13 14. Indiana 34 14 15. UC Davis 32 T15 16. Hartwick 27 17 17. UC Irvine 19 T15 18. Brown 16 18 19. Arizona State 11 20 20. UC Baptist 4 19
Up Next: Eastern Championships
Michigan will participate in the 2003 Eastern Championships on Friday through Sunday (April 25-27) in Boston, Mass. The Wolverines are looking to repeat as tournament champions and earn the right to represent the CWPA at the NCAA Final Four. Only the top six teams from the Northern and Southern Division Championships, both being played this weekend, advance to the Eastern Championships. All of the games in the Eastern Championships will be played at Harvard's Blodgett Pool.
Contact: Paul Dickerson (734) 763-4423
