CLAREMONT, Calif. — The No. 17-ranked University of Michigan water polo team swept the opening day of the Convergence Tournament, posting 17 goals in both matchups. The Wolverines opened the day with a commanding 17-4 victory over Biola University at Pomona-Pitzer College’s Haldeman Pool and later secured a 17-16 win versus No. 12 Loyola Marymount University at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps College’s Axelrood Aquatics Center.
Michigan, which improves to 5-5 on the season, balanced its attack with 11 different goal scorers against Biola and seven versus Loyola Marymount. Emilia Mladjan led the charge against the Eagles with a career-high four goals, while goaltender Katie Delaney anchored the defense with a .636 save percentage. In the battle against the Lions, freshman Ari Karampetsou paced the Wolverines with four goals.
U-M wasted no time setting the tone, keeping Biola off the scoreboard in the opening quarter. Issy Jackson struck just over a minute into the game to put Michigan on the board. Goals from Sophia Panossian and Riley Chapple followed, giving the Wolverines a 3-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
Michigan’s offense exploded in the second period, netting six goals to extend its lead. Mladjan opened the quarter with a quick goal at the 7:46 mark, and just 20 seconds later, Jordan Schneider added another to make it 5-0. Mladjan struck again before Karampetsou and Claire Eusey joined the scoring effort, pushing the advantage to 8-0. Freshman Harriet Dickens then converted a penalty shot for her first career goal, giving U-M a commanding 9-0 lead. Biola managed to get on the board late in the quarter, but the Wolverines remained in complete control heading into halftime.
The Maize and Blue defense continued to dominate in the third quarter, shutting out the Eagles. Michigan added three more goals, entering the final frame with a 12-1 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Michigan tacked on five more goals, with Abby Schulz and Maddy Scarth each scoring their first career goals while wearing the Block M. Although Biola managed three late goals, the Wolverines’ relentless attack secured the 17-4 victory.
In game two, Loyola Marymount came out firing, quickly netting three goals in the opening minutes to take an early lead. Michigan responded with goals from Lulu Hirschfield and Karampetsou, capitalizing on defensive lapses to trim the deficit to 4-2.
U-M continued to fight back when Jackson set up freshman Tilly Waugh, who scored a crucial goal to bring Michigan within one. LMU struck again before the quarter ended, but Panossian answered right back with a quick shot to keep the Maize and Blue within striking distance at 5-4.
Michigan came out strong to open the second quarter, netting three consecutive goals to claim its first lead of the game. However, Loyola Marymount quickly responded with two goals of its own, tying the game at 7-7. Hirschfield continued to produce, scoring her second goal of the match to briefly put Michigan back on top. However, the Lions answered right away to knot the game at eight apiece heading into the half.
The Wolverines carried their momentum into the third quarter, as Kasey Umlauf found the net twice in quick succession to give U-M a 10-8 lead. The two teams traded goals throughout the quarter, but Michigan managed to stay in front, holding a 13-12 advantage entering the final eight minutes of play.
Karampetsou and Panossian looked to close out the fourth, with each netting a goal to extend Michigan’s lead to 15-13. However, LMU refused to back down, scoring twice to even the contest at 15-15. With time winding down, Brooke Ingram delivered a goal to push Michigan ahead, but the Lions responded once again, tying the game. With 1:42 left on the clock, Maiken Pardon came through in the clutch, firing a shot past the Loyola Marymount defense to put the Wolverines on top for good. The Michigan defense held strong in the final moments, securing a hard-fought 17-16 victory.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
