SAN DIEGO – The Indiana water polo team completed their second leg of the Triton Invitational on Sunday evening. In both of their games, the Hoosiers trailed at halftime. Second half surges in both contests led No. 17 Indiana to victory, each by a score of 8-6.
With the wins, the Hoosiers earned a ninth-place finish at the Triton Invitational. Indiana lifts their season record to 6-4, while Marist drops to 3-9 and San Diego State moves to 3-5.
No. 17 Indiana at the Triton Invitational • February 14, 2016
Game 3 (3:00 p.m. ET): Indiana 8, Marist 6
The Hoosiers began the day with a callback from the Bruno Classic, a rematch against the Marist Red Foxes. Indiana, sparked by a hat trick from sophomore Sarah Young, battled back from a 4-1 halftime deficit to take the game by two goals.
Young, a San Diego native, put on a performance for her hometown crowd with three consecutive scores midway through the third quarter. Young scored her hat trick in less than 90 seconds of game time, and it lifted Indiana from a 4-2 deficit to a 5-4 lead.
Young’s hat trick occurred during a 7-0 Indiana scoring run, beginning at the midway point in the third quarter and concluding with a minute left in the game.
Kelly Matthews led all scorers with four, her highest total of the weekend. Candyce Schroeder entered the score sheet with a goal to kick off Indiana’s game-winning scoring run.
The Hoosiers outscored the Red Foxes 7-2 in the second half, and the Indiana defense blanked Marist in the third quarter.
Game 4 (8:20 p.m. ET): Indiana 8, San Diego State 6
With their win over Marist, Indiana entered the ninth-place game against the No. 18 Aztecs. The Hoosiers trailed 3-2 at halftime but once again showed resilience with a come-from-behind win, 8-6.
The Hoosiers got back on track with a balanced attack, as six Hoosiers contributed to their eight-goal tally. Sarah Myers andSarah Young led the way as Indiana’s only multi-goal scorers, netting two each. Kate Pipkin, Jennifer Beadle, Kelly Matthews, and Candyce Schroeder each slotted one goal.
Indiana squared the game at 5-5 with Myers’ score late in the third quarter. Young’s goal with six minutes remaining gave the Hoosiers their first lead of the game.
The Aztecs forced the game’s second tie shortly after Young’s score, but the Hoosiers pulled away with scores from Myers and Matthews down the final stretch.
The Hoosiers have now won their last three meetings with San Diego State. The teams will meet again on March 13 at San Diego State’s Aztec Invitational.
Up Next: No. 17 Indiana (6-4) at the Harvard Invitational
Saturday–Sunday, March 5-6, 2016 • Boston, Mass. • Blodgett Pool
Saturday, March 5
vs. Iona • 8:00 a.m. ET / vs. #19 Wagner • 1:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, March 6
vs. Siena • 1:00 p.m. ET
The Hoosiers return to Bloomington for three weeks before returning to action at the Harvard Invitational, hosted by Harvard University. They open the weekend with a Saturday morning contest against Iona and a revisit with the Wagner Seahawks. They will take on the Siena Saints to close their east coast weekend.
The Hoosiers are a combined 19-0 all-time against Iona, Wagner, and Siena.
Swimming news courtesy of Indiana Water Polo.