Save UMD Water Polo | Water Polo Gets New Financial Targets
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -
The Maryland water polo team suffered its second straight heart-breaking one-goal loss as 12th-ranked Indiana, playing in its home pool, downed the 10th-ranked Terps, 7-6, Sunday morning in the third-place game in the CWPA Western Division tournament.
Shae Fournier had a game-high four goals for the second-seeded Hoosiers (26-8) who scored two fourth-period goals to erase a Maryland lead.
The top-seeded Terps (17-6), who lost to No. 4 seed and 19th-ranked Hartwick in Saturday's second round, had won six in a row entering the two-day, seven-team event.
Nicole Tobin had three goals to pace Maryland's offensive attack. Her goal at 2:20 of the third tied the game at 4-all. Danielle Robinson's goal gave the Terps a 5-4 edge later in the period and Molly Ruth's strike near the end of the period sent Maryland into the final eight minutes with a 6-5 lead.
"We didn't do a real good job on the power play and they were able to convert at a higher percentage," Maryland head coach Carl Salyer said.
Robinson had a team-high three steals. Leading scorer Allison Campbell had two steals, but was held to one goal.
The game was tied five times and Indiana held the only two-goal lead when the Hoosiers went ahead 4-2 in the second.
"Either game could have gone the other way this weekend," Salyer said. "Now we have to get prepared for Easterns."
Third-seeded Michigan held off Hartwick, 7-6, in Sunday afternoon's championship game.
All seven teams from the CWPA Western Division will join the six Southern Division squads in the CWPA Eastern Championship later this month (April 27-29 in Providence, R.I.). The first-place team in that tournament receives an automatic big to the eight-team NCAA field.
For in-game updates, follow the Maryland water polo team on twitter.
CWPA Western Division Championship Results - Day Two
Sunday, April 15
Counsilman Billingsley Aquatic Center
Bloomington, Ind.
No. 12 Indiana 7, No.10 Maryland 6
1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
Maryland (17-6) 2 1 3 0 6
Indiana (26-8) 3 1 1 2 7
Maryland Goals: Tobin 3, Campbell, Robinson, Ruth
Indiana Goals: Fournier 4, Eimstad, Lappan, McNaught
Maryland Blocks: Reyes 10
Indiana Blocks: Wyckoff 11