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COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
It was a fitting way for Senior Day to end for the Maryland water polo team.
Playing in their final home game, goalkeeper Shelby Reyes made key defensive plays down the stretch and defender Christine Goetsch scored with 25 seconds left to lift the 11th-ranked Terrapins to a thrilling 10-9 win over No. 13 Michigan Saturday afternoon.
The victory, Maryland's sixth straight and 12th in the last 13 games, clinched the regular season CWPA Western Division title and the top seed at next week's tournament.
After Michigan tied the game at 9-all at 1:31 of the fourth quarter on Kelsey Nolan's third goal of the game, the defenses tightened for both teams.
The Terps (17-4, 6-0) stopped the Wolverines on the man-advantage when Danielle Robinson was ejected at the 4:34 mark.
Reyes, who had eight saves, stopped a potential breakaway on a steal in front of the net with 3:30 left in the game. She also had two blocks off point-blank attempts in the fourth.
"Shelby made some key plays in the fourth quarter," Maryland head coach Carl Salyer said.
But Michigan had key defensive plays, withstanding a pair of man-advantage situations for the Terps in the final 3:49.
However, it was the offensive-minded Katie Ermakova who made a pair of key defensive plays.
Ermakova and Allison Campbell thwarted a breakaway attempt with just under 1:00 to go and then Ermakova set up the game-winner.
The sophomore stole the ball in the middle of the pool with 34 seconds left, sent an outlet pass to Simone Lewis on the right side who feed an uncovered Goetsch about 10 meters out. The senior calmly moved in and drilled a shot past Morgan Turner from the 5-meter mark.
"I was getting ready to call a timeout, but I saw that Christine was wide open in the middle so we played it out," Salyer said of the final goal.
For Maryland, it was its first-ever win over traditional power Michigan (18-11, 4-2) which has represented the CWPA Eastern Conference at the NCAAs Tournament in three of the last four years.
"There's no one in the East we haven't beaten now," Salyer said.
After the game was tied three times in the first quarter, Maryland took a 5-3 lead on Allison Campbell's goal at 2:25 of the second quarter.
"We started a little shaky on the defensive end, but we kept battling and made some plays," Salyer said. "They had fun out there."
The Wolverines tied the game at 5-all on Nolan's strike with 59 seconds left in the opening half.
Michigan was never able to gain the lead in the second half, but the Terps could not get more than a one-goal advantage in the final two quarters of a game which was tied eight times.
Nicole Tobin had a team-high three goals, all from close range, and Campbell scored twice for Maryland which had lost its first 10 games to the Wolverines.
Lewis was also able to contain Kiki Golden, Michigan's leading scorer. She had just one goal after coming in with a team-high 48.
The Terps will get a bye in the opening round of the seven-team CWPA Western Division Tournament which begins Saturday at Indiana University.
Maryland will play the winner of the game between No. 4 seed Hartwick and fifth-seeded Gannon which is set for 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The Terps will be play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Indiana is the No. 2 seed and Michigan will be third.
Goetsch, Reyes and Carly Hoshko, Maryland's three seniors, were honored prior to the Michigan game.
"It was a great way to send the seniors out," Salyer said. "I'm really proud of what they've done for the program."
The Terps also played host to three other games Saturday. The Wolverines downed Bucknell, 12-7, in the opening game of the day, George Washington knocked off Salem International, 13-8, and Bucknell edged the Colonials, 14-12, in the final contest of the day.
CWPA Games - Day Two Results
Saturday, April 7
Eppley Recreation Center
No. 13 Michigan 12, Bucknell 7
1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UM(18-10) 3 4 4 1 12
BU (12-19) 1 1 3 2 7
Michigan Goals: Golden 5, O'Donnell 2, Williams, Ivy, Pratt, Cobb, Naruns
Bucknell Goals: Peterson 2, Barnett 2, Valdes 2, Smith
Michigan Saves: Adamson 3
Bucknell Saves: Heim 15
George Washington 13, Salem International 8
1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
GWU (9-11) 7 1 1 4 13
SIU (0-15) 2 1 2 3 8
George Washington Goals: Hurd 3, Pyrch 2, Brolley 2, Littlejohn 2, Moreland, Walker, Hanson, Marshall
Salem International Goals: Fields 5, Hill, Moenkemueller, Jones
George Washington Saves: Sinkula 3
Salem International Saves: Roberson 3
No. 11 Maryland 10, No. 13 Michigan 9
1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
Maryland (17-4) 3 3 2 2 10
UM(18-11) 3 2 3 1 9
Maryland Goals: Tobin 3, Campbell 2, Goetsch, Lewis, Robinson, Hoshko, Gerrity
Michigan Goals: Nolan 3, Moore 2, Cobb 2, Golden, Colton
Maryland Saves: Reyes 8
Michigan Saves: Turner 11
Bucknell 14, George Washington 12
1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
BU(13-19) 4 3 4 3 14
GWU (9-12) 3 2 3 4 12
Bucknell Goals: Barnett 7, Peterson 2, Kennan 2, Smith, Shapiro, Frankeny
George Washington Goals: Berry 4, Hanson 4, Walker 2, Moreland, Littlejohn
Bucknell Saves: Heim 4
George Washington Saves: Vilander 2
