Michigan
Loyola Marymount
Wolverines Split Pair of Games at Fluid Four Challenge
4/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Site: Bloomington, Ind. (Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center)
Event: Fluid Four Challenge
Scores: #7 Loyola Marymount 8, #8 Michigan 6; #8 Michigan 9, #20 Cal State-Northridge 5
Records: U-M (25-8)
Next U-M Event: Tuesday, April 6 -- vs. U.S. National Team (Canham Natatorium), 7 p.m. (exhibition)
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The eighth-ranked University of Michigan women's water polo team split its final two games of the regular season today (Saturday, April 3) in the Fluid Four Challenge. The Wolverines (25-8) fell 8-6 to No. 7 Loyola Marymount but came back to top No. 20 Cal State-Northridge 9-5. Both games were played at Indiana's Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center.
Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) led the charge for the Wolverines with six goals on the day, including a hat trick against Cal State-Northridge. Megan Hausmann (San Diego, Calif./Bishop's HS) also turned in a pair of strong performances, with a hat trick against the Lions and one more tally and three assists against the Matadors. Goalkeeper Betsey Armstrong (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) totaled 23 saves over U-M's two games, including 13 against Cal-State Northridge.
Michigan took the early lead against Loyola Marymount with a goal from Welch at the 4:54 mark of the first period. The Lions answered to tie the game with a marker at 1:26, making the score 1-1 heading into the second period.
Once again, the Wolverines struck first in the second period to reestablish their one-goal lead. This time, Hausmann converted for U-M to make the score 2-1 with 5:17 to play before the half. However, LMU responded with a goal of its own to tie the game at 2-2 at 4:29. Michigan had a prime opportunity to reclaim its lead just 14 seconds later, but Sheetal Narsai's (Commerce, Calif./Bell Gardens HS) penalty shot hit the crossbar and bounced out. Neither team was able to gain an advantage through the remainder of the quarter and the score remained knotted at 2-2 after 14 minutes of play.
The Lions took their first lead of the game early in the second half, with a score at 4:06. One minute later, Hausmann answered for Michigan, tying the game at three goals apiece midway through the third quarter. The score remained 3-3 until LMU scored a pair of goals in the last 21 seconds of the period to hold a 5-3 lead heading into the final period.
The Wolverines mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, scoring three of the next four goals to tie the game at 6-6 with 2:51 to play. Welch got things started with a marker at 6:20 that brought U-M within one, 5-4. After an LMU score, Narsai and Hausmann scored back to back to complete U-M's rally. Narsai scored at 3:35 and Hausmann completed her hat trick just 44 seconds later to tie the game at 6-6. However, LMU scored the final two goals of the game to seal the victory.
Against the Matadors, Michigan got off to a fast start, taking a 3-1 lead after one period of play. Welch scored the first goal of the game at the 4:46 mark to give Michigan a 1-0 lead. After Northridge answered to tie the game at 1-1, the Wolverine scored back-to-back goals from Welch and Julie Nisbet (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara HS) to open up the 3-1 lead. Michigan scored the lone goal of the second quarter off a marker by Hausmann and led 4-1 at the half.
The Wolverines continued to dominate in the second half, scoring the first two goals of the third period to gain a 6-1 advantage. This time around, Meg Knudtsen (Los Altos, Calif./St. Francis HS) and Nisbet did the honors for the Maize and Blue. The Matadors responded with a three-goal run over the final three minutes of the period to draw within two, but Nisbet completed her hat trick before the end of the quarter to give U-M a 7-4 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Michigan outscored the Matadors 2-1 in the fourth period to clinch the victory. Welch scored both of U-M's goals to post her fifth game of the season with at least four goals.
The Wolverines will host the U.S. National Team in an exhibition contest at 7 p.m. on Tuesday (April 6), which will also be the final regular-season home game for U-M's three seniors. Michigan will then prepare to host the CWPA Western Division Championship on April 17-18 at Canham Natatorium.
Game Summaries
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Loyola Marymount | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Michigan | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
Loyola Marymount Goals: Cara Colton 4, Stacia Peterson 2, Jamie Kroeze, Jessica Conner. Michigan Goals: Megan Hausmann 3, Shana Welch 2, Sheetal Narsai. Ejections: Loyola Marymount 6, Michigan 10.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Cal State-Northridge | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Michigan | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 |
Cal State-Northridge Goals: Kendra Klein, Pam Barba, Genaye Mowrer, Lynzy Klein, Chari Christopher. Michigan Goals: Shana Welch 4, Julie Nisbet 3, Megan Hausmann, Meg Knudtsen. Ejections: Cal State-Northridge 7, Michigan 3.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On the final 20 seconds of the third quarter against LMU ... "They were given a second chance with a new shot clock when their shot hit the lane line and scored that. Then we took a quick shot with 10 seconds left in the quarter and LMU kept working. We didn't cover them and they got a shot inside four meters with one second left. They took advantage of us thinking time was going to run out. They were given a ball that was clearly out of bounds and then we decided to stop playing defense and they took advantage of both."
On if there is a sliver lining in the loss ... "There is no shame in losing to LMU, especially with the way we played. That may have been one of our worst games of the year and there were barely able to beat us. LMU played a good game. This might help us refocus and make us realize and even when we don't play our best game, we are still a good team. We were almost able to beat the No. 7 team in the country. That is not to take anything away from LMU. They played a good game and seized their opportunities."
On the game against CS Northridge ... "I was very pleased that we were able to go up 6-1. It was good to see the girls come back, especially with the back-and-forth game we had against LMU. It was a nice win."
N O T E S
• The Wolverines notched their 25th win of the season against Cal State-Northridge, matching the program's best win total. Michigan went 25-13 in 2002.
• Against LMU, Megan Hausmann recorded her first hat trick of the season. Hausmann now has five career hat tricks.
• Shana Welch posted her ninth hat trick of the season with four goals against Cal State-Northridge.
• Julie Nisbet scored her third hat trick of the season and the ninth of her career against Northridge.
• Betsey Armstrong posted her 48th and 49th career games with 10 or more saves. She had 10 stops against LMU and 13 against Cal State-Northridge.
