Hoosiers Outlast Harvard, Advance to Eastern Semis
April 29, 2011
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. --The No. 3 seed Indiana Hoosiers women's water polo team (23-11) endured a late Harvard rally and secured a 7-6 victory in the quarterfinals of the CWPA Eastern Championship at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center on Friday. The Indiana win sets up a rematch of last season's semifinal against No. 2 seed Hartwick at 5:20 p.m. on Saturday.
"We struggled shooting the ball for a majority of the contest," said Indiana head coach Barry King. "It's always good to advance, but we know we'll have to execute better the rest of the way."
Cassie Wyckoff delivered a standout performance in the cage, equaling her season-high with 16 saves and two steals.
The Hoosiers received two-goal efforts from Kara Butler and Shae Fournier, while Jakie Köhli, Meghan Lappan, and Lauren Wyckoff each posted one score.
Harvard got on the board first with a power play goal at the 6:53 mark of the opening period.
Indiana responded with a six-on-five score of its own from Fournier after a Lappan dish, followed by a Köhli steal that led to a Lappan goal to make it a 2-1 IU lead with 4:49 left in the quarter. Köhli finished the contest with team-highs of two assists and three steals.
Harvard knotted things up 14 seconds later on a lob shot that floated past Wyckoff.
The second quarter began much like the first, as Harvard converted an early power play to regain the lead at 3-2.
Fournier came back with a goal, set up by Köhli after a key steal from Amanda Redfern to tie it at 3-3. Butler capped the half with a spinning score from the post after an entry by Kelsey Campbell to take a single goal lead into the break.
Köhli would give the Hoosiers a two-goal lead just 23 seconds into the third, scoring immediately after she earned a power play.
Harvard would not go down easily, converting their third six-on-five of the game with 4:13 left in the third period to pull within one.
Late in the quarter, Campbell fired a long-range shot that was rebounded by (Lauren) Wyckoff, who promptly fired in a backhand to once again give IU a 6-4 advantage heading into the fourth.
After some solid defense on both sides to start the fourth, Butler would give the Hoosiers their biggest lead of the contest at the 3:39 mark with a goal after drawing an ordinary foul to make it 7-4.
Harvard answered with a pair of goals during the next two minutes to make it a one-goal game with 1:44 remaining.
(Cassie) Wyckoff came up big in the final minute, stretching for her 16th save with under 35 seconds left, allowing the Hoosiers to play keep-away for the final seconds to secure the win.
On the opposite side of the bracket, No. 1 seed Michigan will take on No. 4 seed Maryland at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.
For complete results from the CWPA Eastern Championship visit CollegiateWaterPolo.org.
