NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan water polo team pulled away late in the contest for an 8-6 win against No. 17 Indiana University at Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center in both teams’ opening match of the University of California-Irvine’s Barbara Kalbus Invitational.
The teams played to a three-all tie in the first half as Indiana scored with one second remaining to get some momentum going into the break after Michigan twice hit posts on offense.
Elise Walker staked Michigan to early leads with a pair of goals in the first quarter, including her second that came just 13 seconds after IU had tied the game.
Michigan edged ahead, 5-3, with 1:50 remaining in the third quarter on goals from Sofie Pontré and Walker, only to see IU answer on a goal 17 seconds later.
Maddy Steere extended U-M’s lead back to two just 17 seconds into the fourth quarter when she connected from five-meters. An exclusion call against IU came back to hurt the Hoosiers as Kayla Barone got into the scoring action, taking a feed from Steere and burying a shot with an extra attacker at the 6:26 mark to make the score 7-4.
IU came back with a pair of goals, including a power-play marker with 3:26 to get back within one, but Michigan got a steal and Ava Morrant dented the twine with 1:27 remaining on an assist from Barone to keep the Hoosiers at bay, 8-6.
The win advances Michigan to a 8:00 a,m. Pacific showdown against No. 5 the University of Hawaii on Saturday, February 26. The game will mark the third meeting of the year between the Wolverines and Rainbow Wahine. Michigan claimed a 10-8 win at home in Ann Arbor, Mich., on January 29, while Hawaii picked up a 14-13 victory in overtime on February 13 at the University of California-San Diego’s Triton Invitational.
Information courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
