U-M Sweeps Day One of Wolverine Invite vs. St. Francis, No. 22 LIU

Saturday, January 27

Ann Arbor, Mich.

2:15 PM

Michigan

1-3

Saint Francis

0-2

Michigan

St. Francis (PA)

Issy Jackson (Michigan Photography)

U-M Sweeps Day One of Wolverine Invite vs. St. Francis, No. 22 LIU

1/27/2024 8:09:00 PM | Water Polo

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 PDF Boxscore (St. Francis)PDF Boxscore (LIU)Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Alex Whisnant

Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Event: Wolverine Invitational (Day 1 of 2)
Scores: #11 Michigan 18, St. Francis (PA) 2; #11 Michigan 14, #22 LIU 9
Records: U-M (2-3), LIU (1-1), SFU (0-2)
Next U-M Event: Sunday, Jan. 27 -- vs. Marist - Wolverine Invitational, Day Two (Canham Natatorium), 12:15 p.m

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan water polo team started its 2024 home slate with a bang, sweeping St. Francis (PA) 18-2 and No. 22 Long Island University 14-9 on the first day of the Wolverine Invitational on Saturday (Jan. 27) at Canham Natatorium.

Riley Chapple led the way offensively for the Maize and Blue in the opening game, tallying six points (three goals, three assists). Three Wolverines logged three-point games, including Kata Utassy, who scored three times to tie for the team lead. Alex Brown was a perfect five-for-five on save opportunities in 16 minutes played, with Grace Walsh and Katie Delaney taking the net in the second half.

It was all Michigan from the first sprint, as Libby Alsemgeest broke things open just 15 seconds into the game. Lola Ciruli and Alison Lock put on the pressure with a pair of goals in less than a minute, before Utassy and Alsemgeest capped off the quarter's scoring to put the Wolverines up 5-0. The second frame saw an equally explosive offensive attack, with Emma Gustafsson finding the net just before the halftime buzzer to score U-M's 10th goal of the game.

Michigan maintained its shutout bid through the third quarter, adding four more goals to make it a 14-0 game headed into the final eight minutes. Though the Red Flash managed to get on the scoreboard twice in the fourth quarter, the Wolverines answered with a goal of their own both times, leaving the pool with an 18-2 victory.

In the second game, Sammi Monroe carried the load offensively, scoring three times including a crucial penalty goal late in the second half. The rest of the goals came from a variety of sources as Alsemgeest and Gustafsson each added two scores while seven other Wolverines found the back of the net, including freshman Jillian Schlom scoring her first career goal for Michigan. Brown was called upon more in the second game than the first, but she was more than up to the challenge as the reigning CWPA Defensive Player of the Week racked up 14 saves, stopping more than 60 percent of the shots she faced.

Ciruli opened the scoring quickly, finding the back of the net 45 seconds into the contest. After LIU answered with a goal on the power play, Michigan responded with a 6-0 run that stretched into the second quarter. Six different Wolverines put the ball past the keeper in a balanced offensive attack to propel the home side to a 7-1 lead with 5:47 to go in the first half. The two teams each added a goal before the halftime whistle to make the score 8-2 in favor of the Wolverines heading into the final stanza.

In the third quarter, LIU found its footing in the ranked matchup, outscoring U-M 4-2 in the first eight minutes of the second half, but the Wolverines still held a 10-6 lead going to the fourth period.

The Sharks looked poised to get back into the game, scoring the first two goals of the fourth to draw within two, 10-8, but that was as close as LIU would get. Michigan tightened its grip on the game with a 4-1 burst over the final 5:46 to outlast the No. 22-ranked Sharks on Saturday.

The Wolverines will wrap up the Wolverine Invitational on Sunday (Jan. 28) when they take on Marist at 12:15, then battle Salem at 3:15 p.m. at Canham Natatorium.