IU tops rival Michigan in only home match

Men’s basketball isn’t the only team that finished the year with a perfect home record. \nOn senior night, in its lone home game of the season, the IU women’s water polo team emerged victorious against rival and 17th-ranked Michigan in overtime by a score of 9-7 on Saturday. The victory avenges the Hoosiers’ loss to Michigan earlier in the season in Ann Arbor, Mich.\n“This was by far our best defensive effort of the season,” coach Barry King said. “(Senior IU defender) Emily Schmitt was an absolute stud defensively.” \nThe combination of senior night, a rivalry match and the team’s only home game of the year created a very emotional atmosphere – one that coach King believes hurt his team at the start of the game.\n“I thought playing at home may be more of a disadvantage then an advantage,” King said. “It tends to get in the way of a good start, which I think is what happened (Saturday).” \nIU struggled during the first quarter. After a quick goal by senior center Melissa Soria, the Wolverines tallied four unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead. \nWhile the first quarter was dominated by Michigan, the second belonged to the Hoosiers. They held the Wolverines at four goals while tallying three goals of their own to tie the game at halftime.\n“When we got that second goal I thought the game was ours,” King said. “We were nice and controlled on offense; we weren’t turning the ball over much.”\nThe second half went back and forth, with the two teams trading goals in both the third and fourth quarter. Deadlocked at six, the game went into overtime.\nIn overtime the Hoosiers scored first and never looked back. IU sophomore Maggie Hannon launched a quick goal, which was followed by the third goal of the game by junior Brittany Estrada, putting the Hoosiers up 8-6. The Wolverines would score one last time, but a goal by freshman attacker Kelly Palmberg with 17 seconds left put the game out of reach. \nAlthough the home game may have been the cause for the Hoosiers’ slow start, it also could have been the key to their strong finish. \n“The atmosphere was amazing,” Hannon said. “We were really motivated; it was the best experience I’ve had playing here.” \nEstrada, who tied her career high with the hat trick, said that the home crowd was very positive for the team.\n“We usually have struggles at home,” Estrada said. “Today we were all really pumped. We were so hyped up.”\nThe Hoosiers (15-12) are riding a seven-game winning streak heading into the Western Division championships, which takes place April 21 and 22. The tournament will be held in Ann Arbor, and it is likely that IU will face Michigan again. If the teams do meet in a rubber match, King anticipates a similar game to the one played Saturday. But King believes that the intensity of a third game will be different.\n“It will be dialed up a notch.” King said.