IRVINE, Calif. — Three players scored hat tricks to lead the No. 9-ranked University of Michigan water polo team to a 10-9 victory over No. 15 University of California-San Diego for a ninth-place finish at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational hosted by the University of California-Irvine.
Michigan junior Julia Sellers, sophomore Maddy Steere and freshman Maddy Johnston each tallied three goals in a game that was back and forth and featured many momentum-changing plays.
The Wolverines saw themselves trailing early in the game for the fourth straight contest as UC-San Diego scored three times in the first 2:42 of the game for a 3-0 lead. The third goal forced a timeout by Dr. Marcelo Leonardi. During the timeout the team regrouped and came out with a great feed inside by Sellers for a tip-in goal by Johnston.
Down, 5-2, in the second quarter, Michigan began to charge back. The Wolverines took advantage of their speed and got out on counter-attack opportunities. Both Sellers and Johnston raced out for goals to cut the lead to 5-4.
The teams traded goals the rest of the first half. U-M kept it close with an inside goal by freshman Kathy Rogers, a steal from the goalkeeper and backhand score by Sellers. The Tritons held a 7-6 lead at the break.
UCSD scored first in the second half to make it 8-6, but Steere then began to take over for the Wolverines. She took a feed from senior Caroline Anderson inside and finished, then fought down low to get the ball up and over the goalkeeper to tie the game at 8. Steere later found a driving Johnston on the opposite side of the pool to give Michigan its first lead late in the third quarter.
Sophomore Heidi Ritner made a big save to keep the lead at the end of the third period. UCSD tied the game at 9 in the fourth quarter. Freshman Sofie Pontré recorded a field block in the final period and Michigan took the lead on its next possession when Sellers fought through defenders to rise up and fire it in.
The defense came up big down the stretch, including a huge save by Ritner on the Tritons’ final possession; she finished with five saves.
Sellers not only had a hat trick but came up big in other areas with two assists, two steals and two drawn exclusions to help U-M improve its record to 10-7.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications
