IU water polo team opens year with two victories

The No. 10 IU water polo team began its season with two wins and a loss at the Michigan Kick-Off during the weekend. The Hoosiers topped both No. 12 Michigan and Colorado State while falling to No. 3 UCLA.

In the team’s opening match of the season, freshman Colleen McNaught tallied her first collegiate goal, IU’s first of the season, at the 5:23 mark.
IU increased its lead to 4-0 before Michigan landed on the board to cut the deficit to three goals.

After two more Indiana goals, the squad let up two power-play goals to the Wolverines in the third quarter, leading to the final tally of the match and giving IU a 6-3 victory.

IU Coach Barry King said the Hoosiers’ hard-nosed defense in addition to senior goalkeeper Cassie Wyckoff‘s 12 saves were vital in Indiana’s first win of the season.

“I think it started on the defensive end. We got some really solid stops in dangerous positions,” King said. “Cassie made a great one-on-zero that may have swung some momentum our way.

“We busted a couple goals early in the back that gave some of our freshmen some comfort on the offensive end, and then when you start making stops in succession, you start getting into a rhythm, and that’s what happened for us today.”

IU struggled in its next match against UCLA. The Hoosiers were still in the match late in the third quarter as sophomore Shae Fournier notched her second goal of the game to pull IU within one point of its opponent at 5-4. A goal late in the third quarter for the Bruins, along with a four-goal final quarter run to put UCLA up 10-4, proved to be the deciding factor.

IU would add one last goal, but it wouldn’t change the outcome of the game as the Hoosiers lost to the Bruins 10-5.

The Hoosiers were able to rebound in the last match of the weekend as, led by Fournier, they outlasted Colorado State. After leading 5-2 at the half, IU allowed three goals in the third, evening the score going into the final period. However, Fournier had a strong fourth quarter, netting a hat trick, which added to a previous goal. The Hoosiers’ play was too much for the Rams, and IU would go on to win 9-6.

“I thought we executed in the fourth quarter when we needed to,” King said. “It was a productive weekend overall, and we just need to continue growing as a team.”