SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan water polo team split its final two games of the University of California-Santa Barbara Winter Invitational by falling to No. 3 University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), 12-5, and defeating No. 23 California State University, Northridge, 18-5, at UCSB’s Campus Pool.
“The speed and intensity from the game against UCLA carried over into the second game,” said junior Caroline Anderson. We came out strong against CSUN. We put an emphasis on playing solid defense, which led to many counter-attack opportunities. Our offense was sharp, creating many open looks.”
In its third top-10 matchup in just four games, the Wolverines were held to one goal by the Bruins of UCLA in the first half, an outside shot by freshman Maddy Steere. UCLA built a 6-1 lead in the opening 16 minutes of play.
U-M showed a lot of fight in the second half as the Bruins only outscored them 6-4. Sophomore Julia Sellers continued her high-scoring opening weekend with back-to-back goals in the third period to cut the lead to 7-4. That was as close as U-M got, but Sellers later added one more on a penalty shot for the hat trick.
Freshman goalkeeper Heidi Ritner was once again outstanding in goal. She tallied 14 saves in the contest. Sophomore Kim Johnson was Michigan’s other goal scorer, scoring through a double team in the second quarter.
Michigan’s offense caught fire in the final game of the weekend vesus CSU-Northridge as three different players netted three or more goals and seven players in all put marks in the scoring column.
U-M scored four goals in each of the first two periods to lead 8-2 at halftime. The offense exploded for seven goals in the third quarter alone.
Anderson came up big for the Wolverines, scoring five goals to go with two assists and three steals. Kim Johnson netted four goals, and Sellers continued her rampage with her third hat trick of the weekend. She also had one assist and two steals.
Ritner played three quarters, allowing only four goals and stopping six shots. Senior Emily Browning came in to play the fourth, making three saves and giving up a lone goal.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
