Welch's Two Hat Tricks Send Michigan to Division Final

Saturday, April 17

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:00 PM

Michigan

Salem International

Welch's Two Hat Tricks Send Michigan to Division Final

4/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Event: CWPA Western Division Championship
Scores: #8 Michigan 18, Salem International 1; #8 Michigan 19, Washington & Jefferson 2
Records: U-M (27-8)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, April 18 -- vs. Indiana in CWPA Western Division Championship (Canham Natatorium), 12:45 p.m.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo team steamrolled into the CWPA Western Division title game with wins over Salem International and Washington & Jefferson today (Saturday, April 17) at Canham Natatorium. The host Wolverines opened up a 9-0 halftime lead over the Tigers to cruise to a 18-1 victory and then topped the Presidents 19-2 in the semifinal round.

Michigan (27-8) will face No. 10 Indiana in the title game at 12:45 p.m. tomorrow (April 18), when the Wolverines will look to win their third straight CWPA divisional crown.

The Wolverines were led by freshman Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS), who scored a hat trick in each of U-M's games. In doing so, she set a Michigan record with her 49th goal this season. Jo Antonsen (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura HS) also had a strong day with five goals, including a hat trick against Washington & Jefferson, as did Erin Brown (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) with five assists on the day. Goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) anchored a stingy Michigan defense with 19 saves over the two games, including 12 against the Presidents.

The Wolverines started their defense of the CWPA division title with an 18-1 victory over No. 9 seed Salem International. Michigan started the game with a pair of goals by Welch in the first 42 seconds of the game. The Wolverines went on to score the final three goals of the quarter to take a 5-0 lead into the second period. Megan Hausmann (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS), Meg Knudtsen (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS) and Brown all scored for Michigan.

Michigan continued to keep the pressure on the Tigers, outscoring them 4-0 in the second quarter. U-M's defense was stifling, holding SIU to five shots in the first half. After 14 minutes of play, the Wolverines held a 9-0 lead. The third quarter saw more of the same from the Wolverines. Michigan went on a four-goal run started by Hausmann at 5:45 and capped by Antonsen with 43 seconds to play in the period.

After another four-goal run by the Wolverines to start the fourth quarter, Salem International finally got on the board with 48 seconds to play in the game. Jamie Brown (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) scored the final goal of the same with four seconds on the clock to end the game.

Against Washington & Jefferson, Michigan got off to another quick start to take a 6-0 lead after the first period. Welch scored three of the Wolverines' first four goals and Brown capped the period with a marker at the 0:49 mark. The Maize and Blue followed its first-quarter performance with four more scores in the second. Melissa Goldberg (Annapolis, Md./Annapolis HS), Antonsen, Stephanie Rupp (Hemet, Calif./Hemet HS) and Wesley Ellison (Portola Valley, Calif./Palo Alto HS) did the honors for U-M to open up a 10-0 halftime lead.

Four goals in the third quarter helped Michigan to a 14-0 lead heading into the final period. Jamie Brown (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) scored twice for the Wolverines and Ashley McCullum (Poway, Calif./Poway HS) and Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) each scored once in the third quarter.

After a goal by Kristin Hoogenboom (Portland, Ore./Sunset HS) at 4:31 of the fourth quarter, the Presidents finally got on the board with a penalty shot at 4:02. The Wolverines then outscored Washington & Jefferson 4-1 over the remainder of the game, including a pair of goals by Antonsen, to seal the 19-2 victory.