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No. 5 Michigan Falls to No. 8 Arizona State & No. 10 San Jose State at UC-Irvine Invite
IRVINE, Calif. --
The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan water polo team finished in
eighth place at the University of California-Irvine Invitational
after slipping to No. 8-ranked Arizona State University, 11-6, and
No. 10-ranked San Jose State University, 10-3, at the Anteater
Aquatics Complex.
Junior Alison Mantel (Miami, Fla./Gulliver) had a
hat trick against the Sun Devils as part of a four-goal day for the
Wolverines. Freshman Alex Adamson (Coronado,
Calif./Coronado) split time in both games, making 11
saves.
Mantel got her first goal of the day in the first period against
ASU, scoring a nearside goal on the power play to make it a 2-1
contest. However, the Sun Devils scored six unanswered to carry an
8-1 lead into the break. Junior Keller Felt (La Jolla,
Calif./La Jolla) broke up the scoring run, finding
freshman Lauren Colton (Tustin, Calif./Tesoro) on
a counter attack to make it 9-2. Mantel and junior Cara
Reitz (Miami, Fla./Gulliver) followed suit to pull U-M
back within five goals at the end of three periods. The surge
proved not to be enough as time ran out before the comeback could
be completed.
Michigan struggled to find a scoring rhythm against San Jose
State, scoring once in the first, second and fourth frames. SJSU
carried a 6-2 lead into the half and held the Wolverines at bay in
the second half.
The Maize and Blue will join the field of the Elite Eight next
weekend (Sat-Sun., March 6-7) in Bloomington, Ind. The Wolverines
will open the tournament with Bucknell University on Saturday
(March 6) at 10 a.m.
Release courtesy Michigan Athletic Communications
