May 11, 2007

Stats

Los Alamitos, CA --The Wagner College women's water polo team opened play in the NCAA Tournament with a first round loss to top seeded Stanford 25-8. The loss drops the eighth seeded Seahawks to 17-14 on the season as they enter into the losers bracket of the three day tournament. Wagner will play tomorrow against the loser of San Diego State and Loyola Marymount at 4:30 pm eastern time.

As for this contest the Seahawks who earned an automatic berth as a result of winning the MAAC Championship tournament showed they belonged posting eight goals on the Cardinal which tied for the third most they have allowed all season long. That said, Wagner had their hands full early as Stanford posted a 5-0 lead after the first period. It could have been more if not for the outstanding play of senior Katie Hauck (Pottsville, PA/Pottsville) who halted seven shots including a five meter block for the contest.

"I'm real proud of my girls of the way they played, especially playing the number one team. We knew it would be an uphill battle for us as a number eight seed because no one has heard of us, so we knew it would be a challenge," said Head Coach Patrick Beemer following the game.

The Green & White offense got moving in the second period when senior Stacey Travous (New Ulm, MN/Cumberland Valley) found the back of the net with 5:33 to go to draw Wagner within five at 6-1. Stanford would go on a mini spurt of four straight goals to build a 10-1 lead. Undaunted the Seahawks answered with a second score by Stacey Travous on a dish from Amber McMichael (Reading, PA/Gov. Mifflin) and a laser from Billy Hoelck (San Diego, CA/U. of San Diego HS) to make the game 10-3 with 2:54 left in the half.

Wagner and Stanford pulled into the half with the Cardinal holding a 12-3 lead after adding two late goals in the second quarter. Hoelck opened up the scoring in the third quarter to make it a 12-4 game. The score was Hoelck's 93rd of the season and the junior has the most goals out of any player in the eight team field. Stanford would counter with a score but Wagner would do likewise as the Green & White caught the Cardinal defense asleep and Alexandra Tomlinson (Sounderton, PA/Telford) took a bomb pass from Hauck to find the back of the cage.

Following those theatrics Stanford would buckle down and reel off five straight goals to close the period and head to the final quarter holding an 18-5 lead. Tomlinson put up her second score of the day with 6:10 to go in the fourth making the score 20-6 in favor of Stanford. The Cardinal added two more before Stacey Travous answered with a score to complete the hat trick leaving Wagner in the hole 22-7. The Seahawks appeared to be done scoring but with just two seconds remaining in the game senior Anne Wolkenhauer (Fullerton, CA/Fullerton) lit the proverbial lamp to make the final score 25-8 Stanford.

Wolkenhauer summed up the team's experience. "Going into the game we were nervous. Like Coach Beemer said, being the eighth seed, no one knows who you are. When you go up against the No. 1 seed Stanford it was a challenge for us. You learn a lot from the next three days and we'll gain a lot of knowledge from this experience," she stated.

Wagner now readies for tomorrow's game at 4:30 pm eastern time against San Diego State who they have never met before or Loyola Marymount who they hold an 0-2 record against. The Seahawks fell to Loyola Marymount earlier this year at the Wolverine Invitational 14-4 and also met up with the Lions in the second round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament losing by a 16-4 count.