Brittany May

No. 14 Michigan Edges No. 18 Indiana 7-6

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Freshman Meagan Cobb (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) of the No. 14-ranked University of Michigan water polo team made a big splash in her first CWPA Western Division rivalry game, scoring a hat trick to help the Wolverines down Indiana, 7-6, on Saturday night (March 29) at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center.

Michigan never trailed as it closed out the second consecutive perfect regular season against teams from its division and clinched the top seed at the 2009 Western Division Championships.

In addition to Cobb's hat trick, Michigan got three assists from sophomore Alison Mantel (Miami, Fla./Gulliver) and a trio of points and two steals from senior Julie Hyrne (Sunnyvale, Calif./Archbishop Mitty). Senior/Junior Brittany May (Santa Barbara, Calif./Santa Barbara) made eight saves to secure her third victory in as many starts against the Hoosiers.

The Wolverines got help from their goalie early in the contest when an IU attacker found space at two meters and ripped a shot at the cage, and May calmly stuck out her left arm and steered it aside. On the next trip down the pool, the Maize and Blue opened the scoring 3:32 into the opening stanza. Sophomore Sarah Roberts (Costa Mesa, Calif./Newport Harbor) found herself fending off a defender on the right post. The Hoosiers goalie tried to swipe the ball away, while Roberts struggled with the defender, but the Wolverine sophomore gained control and flipped a shot over the charging goalkeeper. Inside the final minute of the frame, IU broke through to level the score at 1-1. After sustaining pressure on the Wolverines, the Hoosiers found the back of the cage from seven meters out.

It was all Michigan early in the second stanza and all Indiana in the latter portion of the period. Cobb got her first of her three mirror-image goals, just 23 seconds into the period. The Maize and Blue opened up a 4-1 lead on a floater inside the far bar at 5:08 and another backhanded whip from Cobb at two meters less than a minute later. The Hoosiers chipped into the lead with a two-meter marker of their own at 3:33 before diminishing the Michigan lead to 4-3 with a score three seconds before the break.

Both teams applied pressure starting the third period and senior Carrie Frost (Saline, Mich./Saline) was the first to convert, putting U-M back up by a 5-3 margin 2:38 into the period. Frost sent a shot off the far bar that settled on the goal line before floating gently into the cage. IU eliminated the two-goal pad, converting on a five-meter penalty toss 20 seconds later. Senior Kelsey Haley (Portola Valley, Calif./Menlo) capped the periods scoring just before the midway point to put the Maize and Blue ahead by a 6-4 score.

Sophomore Cara Reitz (Miami, Fla./Gulliver), who had assisted on Haley's goal, found herself in hot pursuit of an IU attacker two-and-a-half minutes into the final frame. The Hoosiers got a steal near midpool and were off to the races. Reitz came bearing down on the IU driver, nullifying the attack. The defense was not as lucky just under two minutes later when IU took a shot from the perimeter that May got a piece of but not enough to steer to safety. Cobb then completed her hat trick and gave the Wolverines a two goal pad, 7-5, inside the final two minutes. The freshman took a pass from Hyrne at two meters and slammed it into the top of the cage. IU made Michigan use the extra goal, scoring on the power play with 1:08 remaining. Clinging to a one-goal lead, U-M had to play strong defense as it killed an IU 6-on-5 and consistent pressure in the final minute. The Hoosiers had one last gasp just before the horn sounded, but May protected her post and stifled the shot attempt.

Indiana Goals: Lauren Wyckoff 2, Kara Butler, Kelsey Campbell, Maggie Hannon, Jakie Kohli. Michigan Goals: Megean Cobb 3, Carrie Frost, Kelsey Haley, Julie Hyrne, Sarah Roberts.
Saves: Indiana - Cassie Wyckoff (10) ; Michigan - Brittany May (8)
Ejections: Indiana - 5 ;  Michigan - 7

Release Michigan Athletic Communications