Michigan
Hawaii (ex)
Wolverines Go 2-1 to Start Collegiate Cup
11/4/2017 10:46:00 PM | Water Polo
» Michigan holds all three teams to single digit goals
» Freshman Maddy Johnston notched eight goals on the day
» Wolverines advance to the 9th-12th semifinal
Site: Fresno, Calif.
Event: USA Water Polo Collegiate Cup
Records: Michigan (2-1), Hawai'i (1-2), USA 2 (0-2), UC Irvine (0-3)
Score: Game 1 -- Hawai'I 7, Michigan 6; Game 2 -- Michigan 13, USA 2 5; Game 3 -- Michigan 10, UC Irvine
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Nov. 5 -- 9th-12th semifinal vs. Marist or Fresno State at 10:20 a.m. PT
FRESNO, Calif. -- The University of Michigan water polo team opened the Collegiate Cup with three games on Saturday (November 4), winning two of the three in the exhibition tournament.
The Wolverines feature a young roster with 10 of the 16 student-athletes on the travel roster as freshmen or sophomores. This weekend they were looking to see how far along the team is with Dr. Marcelo Leonardi's system of play and how they would stack up with some of the top teams in collegiate water polo and in the USA Water Polo system.
The first day was a good indication that Michigan will once again be in the conversation as one of the best teams in the country.
Game 1: Hawai'i 7, Michigan 6
The first game of the weekend for the Wolverines was a battle between two strong contenders. The score was never separated by more than two goals as the teams exchanged blows from start to finish.
Junior Kim Johnson scored the first goal of the game and the two teams traded goals in the first quarter for a 2-2 tie after eight minutes. The Rainbow Wahine took its first lead and put up two goals in the second quarter, but Michigan freshman Maddy Johnston had the answer to each of them as the two teams remained tied at 4 heading into halftime.
The third period was the difference-maker in the game as U-M failed to score while Hawai'i recorded two goals to build a 6-4 advantage.
Johnson tried to bring the Wolverines back in the fourth with two more goals to give her four in the contest, however, U-M ran out of time and came up one goal short.
U-M Goals: Johnson (4), Johnston (2)
U-M Assists: Anderson (2), H. Ritner (2), Sellers
U-M Saves: H. Ritner (6)
Tweet of the Game
Great matchup to start the weekend. Hawai'i hangs on for the 7-6 victory.
— Michigan Water Polo (@UMichWaterPolo) November 4, 2017
U-M Goals: Johnson 4, Johnston 2 pic.twitter.com/aUhFmX48Mk
Game 2: Michigan 13, USA 2 5
Michigan got its offense going in the second game as they took on USA 2, made up by members of the Youth National Team.
The Wolverines poured in four goals in each of the first three quarters and it was a 4-0 run in the second quarter that broke the game open.
Johnston continued her impressive performance with six points in the contest. She notched four goals and two assists to lead the way for the Wolverines.
The three juniors on the team combined for five goals and four assists. Delaney Cleveland posted two goals and two assists, Julia Sellers had two goals and one assist and Johnson followed up her big game from earlier in the day with one each.
Heidi Ritner played three quarters and stopped seven shots with five goals allowed. Sophomore Cameron Cordial played the fourth and made two saves. The defense contributed five field blocks and seven steals.
U-M Goals: Johnston (4), Cleveland (2), Sellers (2), Corbett, Johnson, O'Reilly, E. Ritner, Steere
U-M Assists: Cleveland (2), Johnston (2), Steere (2), Jimenez, Johnson, O'Reilly, Rogers, Sellers
U-M Saves: H. Ritner (7), Cordial (2)
Tweet of the Game
We defeated the USA 2 squad by the final of 13-5. #GoBlue
— Michigan Water Polo (@UMichWaterPolo) November 4, 2017
U-M Goal Leaders: Johnston (4), Sellers/Cleveland (2) pic.twitter.com/HioY5Ja9cI
Game 3: Michigan 10, UC Irvine 8
The third game in a span of 10 hours featured two conference champions from a year ago. U-M and UC Irvine played one-goal games in each of the last three meetings. This meeting was another good one.
UC Irvine got off to a good start, leading, 3-1, in the first quarter. Then Johnston notched her seventh goal of the day to start a run for the Wolverines.
U-M scored five consecutive goals to build a 6-3 advantage. Sellers picked up two goals during the run, while freshman Kathy Rogers and senior Caroline Anderson also found the back of the net. The Anteaters added a late score to make it 6-4 at the half.
It was a one-goal game in the third quarter when Michigan went on another run. The teams had traded goals to a 7-6 U-M lead when two Wolverine seniors stepped up. Laura Jimenez and Christina O'Beck notched back-to-back goals. Freshman Maddie O'Reilly followed with a five-meter penalty goal to end the quarter on a 3-0 run.
That run was enough to withstand a pair of Anteater goals in the final quarter as U-M won, 10-8.
Johnston finished the day as Michigan's scoring leader with eight goals. Johnson added five and Sellers four. The defense was stout throughout the day, holding all three teams to single-digit goal totals as Heidi Ritner tallied 20 saves.Â
U-M Goals: Johnston (2), Sellers (2), Anderson, Jimenez, O'Beck, O'Reilly, Rogers, Steere
U-M Assists: Johnson (2), Anderson, Cleveland, Johnston, Rogers, Sellers
U-M Saves: H. Ritner (7)
Tweet of the Game
Final!!! We top UC Irvine to finish the day with a 2-1 record. #GoBlue
— Michigan Water Polo (@UMichWaterPolo) November 5, 2017
U-M Goal leaders: Johnston (2), Sellers (2) pic.twitter.com/VIBvmHI8QJ
Michigan will play in the 9th-12th semifinal tomorrow (Nov. 5) at 10:20 a.m. PT at Clovis West High School. The Wolverines will play the winner of the Marist/Fresno State game.
