Michigan
Hawaii
Welch's Eight-Goal Outing Helps Wolverines Split Pair
4/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Site: Long Beach, Calif.
Event: Long Beach Invitational
Scores: #4 Hawaii 5, #12 Michigan 4; #12 Michigan 14, Cal State-Bakersfield 12
Records: U-M (20-12), CSUB (11-19)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Apr. 17 -- vs. San Diego State (9:10 a.m. PDT), vs. #11 UC Irvine (3 p.m. PDT) at Long Beach Invitational (Long Beach, Calif.)
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Sophomore Shana Welch (Larksville, Pa./Wyoming Valley West HS) set a school record with an eight-goal performance against Cal State Bakersfield to lead the University of Michigan water polo team to a 1-1 record Saturday (April 16) at the Long Beach Invitational. In the tournament opener, the No. 12-ranked Wolverines were unable to hang on to a 4-3 fourth-quarter lead, dropping a 5-4 decision to No. 4 Hawaii, but Michigan came back with a 14-12 win over CSUB to close out the first day of competition.
| | Welch's school-record eight goals vs. CSU Bakersfield came on 10 shot attempts. |
In the opening match of the invitational, Hawaii scored a pair of goals to take an early 2-0 advantage, but Michigan answered with three tallies over the final 3:14 of the period to take a 3-2 lead heading into the second quarter. Narsai started the Wolverines' run with a power-play goal followed by markers by Jo Antonsen (Agoura Hills, Calif./Agoura HS) and Welch. Hawaii scored the lone goal of the second quarter to tie the game at 3-3 after 14 minutes of play.
The Wolverines regained their one-goal lead with a marker by Welch with just under four minutes to play in the third period. Michigan maintained its lead over the next 9:36 of play until Lefke Van Belkum scored the equalizer with just 1:16 left in the game. Van Belkum then gave Hawaii a 5-4 lead with 0:41 to play. After failing to answer the Rainbow Wahine on the ensuing possession, the Wolverines stole the ball back and had one final attempt at the goal. Michigan's shot, however, bounced off the crossbar.
Against Cal State Bakersfield, Michigan jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter behind three goals by Welch. The Roadrunners answered by outscoring Michigan 5-4 in the second quarter but were never able to draw within two goal as Welch continued to light up the scoreboard with three more markers in the frame. At the half, the score was 9-6 in favor of the Wolverines.
Welch scored two more goals in the third period to help Michigan build a 13-9 advantage heading into the final seven minutes of play. CSUB scored three of the final four goals of the game, but Michigan was able to hold on for the 14-12 win.
The Wolverines (20-12) return to action on Sunday (April 17) in the final day of the Long Beach Invitational. Michigan will face No. 13 San Diego State at 9:10 a.m. PDT before closing out the tournament with a match against No. 11 UC Irvine at 3 p.m. PDT.
GAME SUMMARIES
| Game 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Michigan | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Hawaii | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
Scoring
Michigan Goals: Shana Welch 2, Jo Antonsen, Sheetal Narsai. Hawaii Goals: Lefke van Belkum 3, Monika Kruszona, Kristy Bagnall. Ejections: U-M 3, UH 2. Goalie Saves: Betsey Armstrong (U-M) 9, Meike De Nooy (UH) 5.
| Game 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Michigan | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 14 |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
Scoring
Michigan Goals: Shana Welch 8, Sheetal Narsai 3, Vickie Brown, Megan Hausmann, Rebecca Godek. CS Bakersfield Goals: Emma Keogh 4, Allison Malczynski 4, Lori Mattingly 2, Jamie Baker 2. Ejections: U-M 6, CSUB 12. Goalie Saves: Betsey Armstrong (U-M) 2, Sally Stone (U-M) 6, Amber Brenner (CSUB) 7.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On the Hawaii match ... "We controlled most of that game and just weren't able to finish. Hawaii has been on such a roll lately and they are one of the hottest teams in the country. We were able to control the play for almost the entire game, but we made a few mistakes that cost us. That's what is came down to."
On what the team needs to do to win the one-goal games ... "When we have our final shot, we have to make sure it goes in the back of the net. Today, Hawaii made their last shot and we didn't. That was the difference. I feel we can play with anyone in the country and we proved that again today. We've been in every game we have played this year except for one. This tournament was all about us being able to prepare for the end of our season. We tried a few new things. Some of them worked and some of them didn't, but it was good to see the girls respond the way they did. If what we were trying worked on the No. 4 team in the country, it should work on anyone else we will face this season."
On Shana Welch's performance against Cal State Bakersfield ... "It was the greatest offensive display I've seen since I have been at Michigan. She scored eight goals in just under 12 minutes of playing time and only took 10 shots. She was just on fire and I hope she is able to keep it up for our remaining games. She exploded the way I know she is capable of and it was against a very good team."
N O T E S
Michigan's victory over Cal State Bakersfield marked the Wolverines 20th win of the season. The Wolverines have won at least 20 games in each of their five years as a varsity program.
U-M's 5-4 loss to Hawaii was the Wolverines' eighth one-goal loss of the season and the second one-goal loss to the Rainbow Wahine.
Shana Welch set a Michigan record with eight goals against Cal State Bakersfield. The previous record of six goals was held by Welch and Kristin Hoogenboom.
Shana Welch scored her 12th hat trick of the season with eight goals against Cal State Bakersfield. Welch now has 24 hat tricks in her career.
With 10 goals and one assist over U-M's two games, Shana Welch set a U-M record with 77 points this season. Welch has scored 67 goals and 10 assists en route to the record. The previous record holder was Sheetal Narsai with 73 points in 2004.
With 10 goals over Michigan's two games, Welch upped her goal total for the season to a Michigan-record 67 goals. Welch is the first Wolverine to top the 60-goal mark in a single season.
Sheetal Narsai registered her fifth hat trick of the season with three goals against Cal State Bakersfield. Narsai now has 11 career hat tricks.
Contact: Paul Dickerson (734) 763-4423
