Hoosiers lose in conference championship

Despite a furious fourth-quarter rally, the IU water polo team came up short against Michigan, who finished the season perfect against the CWPA west.

The Hoosiers lost 9-8 to the Wolverines in the championship game of the CWPA Western Division Championships on Sunday.

Trailing 7-3 at halftime, the No. 2-seeded Hoosiers outscored the Wolverines 5-2 in the second half but couldn’t score again, allowing Michigan to keep its lead.

IU coach Barry King said he was pleased with the way the team played all weekend, and said he thinks they could win against anyone with a performance similar to Sunday’s second half.

“If we play the way we played the last 14 minutes of the Michigan contest, I have all the confidence in the world (in this team),” King said.

The Hoosiers made it to the championship game by winning 15-0 against No. 7 Chatham  and No. 3 Mercyhurst in a 15-1 Saturday defeat at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center.

Despite the loss against Michigan, King said he thought the team played well enough to get a win, no matter who they faced.

“We did the things the way we were supposed to do it,” he said. “We played at a level that, no matter who was in the pool, I think we would have won contests.”