Michigan
San Jose State
Quick Start Helps Wolverines Stun No. 7 San Jose State
1/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Event: Michigan Kick-Off
Score: #10 Michigan 8, #7 San Jose State 6
Records: U-M (2-1), SJSU (2-1)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Jan. 25 -- vs. UCLA in Michigan Kick-Off (Canham Natatorium), 2:30 p.m.
Photo Gallery | Video Report
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 10-ranked University of Michigan water polo team stunned No. 7-ranked San Jose State, 8-6, on Sunday (Jan. 25), the second day of the Michigan Kick-Off at Canham Natatorium. The win over the Spartans is the third time the Wolverines have knocked off a seventh-ranked team in program history.
Senior Julie Hyrne(Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty) had five points on the day, assisting on four goals and adding a score of her own. Senior Carrie Frost(Saline, Mich./Saline) and junior Leah Robertson(Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) each had two goals and an assist.
Michigan set the tone for the game just 19 seconds in with Frost's first goal of the day. The senior spun off a defender inside two meters and flung a shot into the far side of the net. Just past the midway point of the period, Hyrne gave the Maize and Blue a 2-0 advantage on a power-play goal. Frost pulled the goalie to the side with a stunt and then passed to a wide-open Hyrne for the score.
San Jose State answered with 1:37 left in the opening stanza, narrowing the U-M lead to 2-1. Michigan had a golden opportunity to pad its first-half lead with 2:25 remaining in the second quarter, when junior Terri Bukofzer(Vernon Hills, Ill./Stevenson) picked up her own rebound in close and slammed a shot off the post. SJSU leveled the score just before halftime, converting on a shot from five meters out with 21 seconds remaining.
Just as it did in the first half, the Maize and Blue came firing out of the chute to regain the lead 1:13 into the third quarter. Sophomore Alison Mantel(Miami, Fla./Gulliver) sparked the Wolverines with a bullet that hit the far bar and went in. Under a minute later, Frost emulated her second-year teammate with a mirror image goal to put U-M up 4-2. San Jose State's answer three minutes later was quickly rebutted by a fadeaway shot into the cage from senior Kelsey Haley(Portola Valley, Calif./Menlo). Robertson ended the four-goal outburst with 1:06 remaining in the period. The 2-meter defender stripped a Spartan of possession at midpool and streaked in on goal. A deke at three meters created an opening that Robertson exploited to put U-M up 6-3 with eight minutes to play.
The Spartans had no intention of going quietly and rattled off two goals to start the fourth period and pull within one goal, 6-5. The teams exchanged goals in the midst of sparkling defensive play to put the score at 7-6 with under two minutes remaining. Michigan had what should have been the second-to-last possession of the game, and just as the shot clock was about to expire, sophomore Cara Reitz(Miami, Fla./Gulliver) launched a missile into the back of the cage to pad the lead to 8-6.
The Wolverines were able to fend off one last push from the Spartans before Hyrne got ahold of the ball and ran out the clock.
Michigan will play out the final game of the Michigan Kick-Off this afternoon (Jan. 25) when it takes on No. 3-ranked UCLA at 2:30 p.m. in Canham Natatorium.
GAME SUMMARY
| Score By Periods | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| #7 San Jose State | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| #10 Michigan | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
SJSU Goals: Adriana Vogt 2, Bridget McKee, Kathryn Hannum, Juliet Moss, Tonya Torres.
U-M Goals: Carrie Frost 2, Leah Robertson 2, Alison Mantel, Julie Hyrne, Kelsey Haley, Cara Reitz.
Saves: SJSU 6 (Meagan Minson 4, Kelly Kennison 2), U-M 5 (Brittany May)
Ejections: SJSU 6, U-M 8
N O T E S
The win over SJSU is the third time Michigan has beaten a seventh-ranked team in program history. The last time the Wolverines beat a seventh-ranked team came at the 2006 Michigan Kick-Off when then-No. 9-ranked Michigan downed then-No. 7 Long Beach State by a 7-4 tally (Feb. 4, 2006).
Michigan has played the Spartans as a seventh-ranked team on four occasions, losing the previous three including two during the 2008 season.
U-M improved to 3-5 all-time against San Jose State.
Senior Julie Hyrne matched a career high with four assists today. Her other four assist games came against UC San Diego on Feb. 25, 2007, and Mercyhurst on March 15, 2008.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On the win... "What worked for us was a little bit different than yesterday in that we controlled the game in the first period. Yesterday we let Cal control the first period, and when you let a good team get up they will control the play for the rest of the game. That is what we were fortunate to do -- we got a 2-0 lead and we were able to control the game. The difference was, even though they had more power plays, our man-down defense improved from yesterday. Even though our man-up offense still needed some work, we scored when we needed to."
On where this game fits in the big picture... "In my seven years (at Michigan), this ranks as the most complete game and easily in the top three that Michigan has played. We did not have any area that I am going to say was a glaring weakness. We have things we need to work on, but for the third game of the season, against a top 10 team, this is as good as I think we are capable of playing right now and this could springboard us to be even that much better."
U-M Senior Driver Carrie Frost
On her goal to open the game... "I was focusing on what we did yesterday, and my go-to in the hole setting when I am posting up is quick shots. So I tried to focus on conserving my energy, and when the ball came in I took a quick shot and it went in. So I just was focusing on what I am good at and was able to execute."
U-M Junior 2-meter Defender Leah Robertson
On what the win means to the team... "This win gives us a lot of confidence, especially beating a team that is ranked higher than us. We have had a lot of one-goal losses to San Jose State, so it is a pride thing when we play them. It is a good start to the day and hopefully it will carry over into this afternoon."
On the fourth-period intensity... "I wish we could have held our lead, but when it goes back and forth like that, it keeps you on your toes and you don't play lazy. When you play lazy you lose, and we were able to keep the intensity up."
Contact: Ryan Sosin (734) 763-4423
