Hartwick College-vs.-Indiana University Scoresheet
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Lena Kotanchyan (So., Moscow, Russia/Elk Island School #368) scored three times in the second half to post Player of the Game honors as No. 13-ranked Hartwick College rallied back from a 2-0 first quarter deficit to stop No. 14 Indiana University, 8-5, in the 2018 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship Third Place game at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
The Hawks (30-11, 5-3 CWPA) make history as Hartwick notches its third 30-win season since 2001 following the 2004 (33-10) and 2007 (32-10) squads which won the league title and placed Fourth and Fifth, respectively, at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship.
Down 2-0 after the opening quarter as the Hoosiers (25-9, 5-3 CWPA) received a pair of even-strength goals from Kelly Matthews (Sr., Roxboro, Quebec/St. Thomas) with 5:41 and 1:58 remaining in the first frame, Hartwick cut its deficit in half as 2018 CWPA Player of the Year Zsofia Polak (Sr., Dunaujvaros, Hungary/Rudas) finished a man-up chance with 5:42 left in the second quarter.
Indiana regained a two-score lead 13 seconds later as Joelle Nacouzi (So., Montreal, Quebec/College Charlemagne) put a way a natural marker at 5:29, but Charlotte Cottle (Sr., Sydney, Australia/Presbyterian Ladies College) delivered a response at 4:45 to once again move the Hawks within one at 3-2 entering halftime.
The game turned in the third quarter as Hartwick reeled off a 3-0 scoring advantage via man-up (5:59) and even-strength strikes by Kotanchyan to go along with a natural tally from L.J. Edwards (Jr., Encinitas, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) with 3:59 on the clock to turn a one-goal deficit into a 5-3 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Hartwick continued to pour on the offense as Kotanchyan 6:43) and Cottle (3:46) capped off a 6-0 outburst by the Hawks to construct the lead to 7-3 with less than four minutes to play in the game.
Indiana attempted to mount a comeback as Karrie Kozokar (Jr., Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) connected for a scored at 3:20 to move back within three at 7-4, but Tori Wilson (So., Kitchener, Ontario/Grand River Collegiate) drove home the final dagger with a tally at the 1:33 mark to inflate the margin back to four at 8-4.
The Hoosiers closed back to within three prior to the final buzzer as Nacouzi snapped in a strike with 57 seconds left, but Indiana could manage no more offense in the waning seconds of the game to allow Hartwick to post the win.
For Hartwick, Kotanchyan led the way with a hat-trick, while Cottle buried a pair of tallies. Edwards, Polak and Wilson each tacked on single goals to go along with a five save performance by Emma Aleksandrovic (So., Belgrade, Serbia/Medicine School of Zvezdara).
Indiana received pairs of goals from Matthews and Nacouzi to accompany a single score by Kozokar. Jessica Gaudreault (Sr., Ottawa, Ontario/St. Joseph) took the loss with eight saves.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| No. 14 Indiana University | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | – | 5 |
| No. 13 Hartwick College | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | – | 8 |
| Hartwick Goals: | Lena Kotanchyan (3); Charlotte Cottle (2); L.J. Edwards; Zsofia Polak; Tori Wilson | |||||
| Indiana Goals: | Kelly Matthews (2); Joelle Nacouzi (2); Karrie Kozokar | |||||
| Saves: | Hartwick – Emma Aleksandrovic (5) ; Indiana – Jessica Gaudreault (8) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Hartwick – 7 ; Indiana – 13 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Hartwick – 2-for-13; Indiana – 0-for-7 | |||||
| Sprints: | Hartwick – 2-for-4 (3rd, 4th) ; Indiana – 2-for-4 (1st, 2nd) | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | YC – Hartwick (Head Coach Alan Huckins, 4:45 left in 2nd Q); YC – Indiana (Kelly Matthews, 2:48 left in 2nd Q) | |||||
| Officials: | Val Vasilchikov, Julie Snyder | |||||
2018 CWPA Championship Third Place – Hartwick College
Indiana University’s Jessica Gaudreault (#1)
Hartwick College’s Emma Aleksandrovic (#1)
Indiana University’s Kelly Matthews (#10) attempts to arch a shot over Hartwick College’s Becca Lelles (#14)
Hartwick College’s Lena Kotanchyan (#7) tries to get by Indiana University’s Karrie Kozokar (#18)
Hartwick College’s Zsofia Polak (#13) prepares to unleash a shot past Indiana University’s Joelle Nacouzi (#11)
