Notes & Quotes: #12 Michigan 12, #14 Hartwick 6
4/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Water Polo
The Wolverines claim their fourth Eastern Championship title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship (2002, '05, '08, '09).
With its fourth title, Michigan now has the second-most CWPA Eastern Championship banners hanging in its arena. Only Slippery Rock has won more crowns than the Maize and Blue.
Michigan improves to 4-2 in Eastern Championship title game. Three of U-M's championship wins, including the last two, have come against Hartwick. Michigan becomes the fourth program to successfully defend its crown and win back-to-back Eastern Championship titles. Only Hartwick (2006-07), UMass (1998-99) and Slippery Rock (1988-96) have completed a triumphant defense.
The Maize and Blue improves to 10-4 all-time and 3-2 at the Eastern Championship against Hartwick.
The Wolverines extend their winning streak to 25 games. The program record of 27 consecutive wins was set last season.
Senior/junior Brittany May recorded her 200th save of the season today, making her just the third Wolverine to record 200 stops in a season. Only Betsey Armstrong (2003-05) and Kristen Davis (2007) have reached the plateau. May now has 210 saves this season.
May set a new career high with a 14-save performance. May's previous high of 13 saves was set in the Western Division Championship final at then-No. 17-ranked Indiana (April 19).
Senior Julie Hyrne drew a career-high five ejections.
Junior Leah Robertson matched a personal best with a four assists. She previously tallied four helpers against San Diego State on Feb. 23, 2008.
Head coach Matt Anderson was named Doc Hunkler Coach of the Championship for the third time. He was also recognized with the 2005 and 2008 award.
Michigan becomes the first second seed to win the conference title since the 2005 Wolverines knocked off host and No. 1 seed Indiana in 2005 for the program's second Eastern title.
Q U O T E S
Michigan Head Coach Matt Anderson
On the game... "Before the game, a coach asked me what I was going to do about Kristen Hudson; I said she could star on any team in the nation -- the difference is I have Leah Robertson and Sharayah Hernandez who can defend her and they have nobody who can shut down Julie Hyrne. She scored three goals and drew four ejections. She showed she is best in the East. People can say what they want, but Brittany May comes to play in the postseason. She has won two Westerns and two Easterns. We did not gameplan too much for this one. We have a lot of people who want to get out there and play defense, and we know how to play offense.Our plan was toabuse them on offense and let Brittany make saves on defense. No chalk talk. It has been a blessing to have two years like this and you don't know when it will end so you just enjoy it. Hartwick is a very good team and their coaching is phenomenal. As Kelsey Haley said, 'Bold Anderson and his band of 25 laid down their hearts, not just for themselves but for Michigan.'"
On the play of Leah Robertson and Julie Hyrne... "Leah Robertson came in on two different 6-on-5s and steals the ball and takes off down the pool, swimming 23 meters. That's what she does -- gets the ball on defense and attacks. When Hartwick was slowing us down, our mentality was let's find Julie Hyrne. What a nice recovery she has made from her shoulder surgery to end on such a high note at Easterns. Everybody came with the right frame of mind; our conditioning was right, we got out and swam up and down the pool."
On the prospect of facing his old college roommate, CalLutheran head coach Craig Rond,at NCAAs "Twenty-two years ago, sitting in our dorm room at SJSU, we both had a lot of dreams of what we wanted to do. It may have taken 22 years, but we have both gotten to where we wanted to professionally. No matter the results, it is going to be sweet to be sitting there at pinnacle tournament of your sport and facing one of your lifelong best friends."
