Michigan Drops Games to Cal, Host Stanford on First Day of Stanford Invite

Saturday, February 4

Palo Alto, Calif.

10:50 AM PT

Michigan

5-2

California

5-1

Michigan

California

Elise Walker (Michigan Photography)

Michigan Drops Games to Cal, Host Stanford on First Day of Stanford Invite

2/4/2023 3:47:00 PM | Water Polo

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Boxscore (vs. Cal)PDF Boxscore (vs. Stanford)

By: Bridgette Underwood

Site: Palo Alto, Calif. (Avery Aquatics Center)
Event: Stanford Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
Score: #4 California 15, #6 Michigan 12; #1 Stanford 14, #6 Michigan 4
Records: U-M (5-4), CAL (6-1), STAN (5-0)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Feb. 4 -- vs. No. 10 Arizona State - Stanford Invite, Day 2 (Palo Alto, Calif.), 8 a.m. PT

PALO ALTO, Calif. -- The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan water polo team opened action at the Stanford Invite on Saturday (Feb. 4), falling to California 15-12 in the first game before dropping the second game to host No. 1-ranked Stanford at the Avery Aquatics Center.

Game 1: #4 California 15, #6 Michigan 12

Michigan dropped the first game of the day to No. 4-ranked California, 15-12. Kata Utassy led the Wolverines with four goals and Ava Morrant chipped in three. Alex Brown led Michigan with eight saves and Michigan scored eight of its goals on power plays.

In the first quarter, Alex Brown came up big with three saves while only allowing one goal to help give Michigan a 3-1 lead. Libby Alsemgeest, Utassy, and Morrant each chipped in one goal, with the first and third goals coming by way of the power play, while Utassy fired a shot to find the back of the net.

California struck first in the second quarter before Morrant scored on a 6-on-5 power play to put UM back up by two at 4-2. The Golden Bears came storming back with four goals of their own to take a 6-4 lead heading into the half.

Coming out of the halftime break, Cal capitalized with a goal on a counterattack before Morrant took advantage of yet another power play for her third goal of the game to pull Michigan within two goals. Twenty seconds later, the Golden Bears struck again before Lola Ciruli beat the Cal goalie to get back to a two-goal deficit. U-M and California continued to exchange blows with Utassy firing a shot to the top-right corner to cut the lead within two with 42 seconds to go in the third quarter. Cal had the last word in the quarter, sneaking in a goal with 20 seconds left to take a 10-7 lead heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Cal found its stride, scoring five goals in the first for minutes. Michigan's offense came alive scoring five goals of its own. Elise Walker struck first, then Erin Neustrom scored twice with two coming from Utassy to pull Michigan within three goals, 15-12, with just more than one minute left in the game and that is where the score settled at the final buzzer.

Game 2: #1 Stanford 14, #6 Michigan 4

The Wolverines dropped the second game of the day to No. 1-ranked Stanford, the host of the weekend's action. Alex Brown finished the game with 12 saves, including four penalty shot saves, while allowing 13 goals against the No. 1-ranked Cardinal. Kata Utassy led Michigan with two points on the game, scoring one goal to go with one assist.

Stanford struck first in the quarter, but Michigan drew two exclusions and got a 6-on-4 power play goal from Elise Walker. The Cardinal come storming back, but Sammi Monroe was able to walk it in to place a lob shot over the goalie's head that tied it up at two apiece. Stanford found its offensive stride with four minutes left in the quarter and put in three more goals, pulling ahead for a 5-2 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Cardinal extended its lead to four with a quick finish on a cross-pool shot in the second quarter. Soon after, Brown made her second penalty shot save of the game and kept Michigan within striking distance, but Stanford took advantage of U-M's turnovers and found the back of the net twice before the end of the first half for an 8-2 lead.

Stanford picked up where it left off to kick off the second half and netted the ball just 23 seconds into the third quarter. Michigan held Stanford to just two goals in the frame thanks to Brown in goal. In the third quarter alone, she came up with two penalty saves.

The Cardinal scored four goals in the final quarter of play, while rallied for three. Brooke Ingram struck first for the Wolverines as she capitalized off of Michigan's first penalty shot of the game. Issy Jackson found the back of the net to score the first goal of her collegiate career, and Utassy fired a shot from a distance and score the final goal of the game. Depsite the three-goal frame, No. 1-ranked Stanford took home the victory to remain unbeaten on the season.

Michigan will wrap up play at the Stanford Invitational on Sunday (Feb.5) with two games. The Wolverines will take on No. 10-ranked Arizona State at 8 a.m. PT before facing No. 17-ranked San Jose State at 11:15 a.m. PT.