May 13, 2007

Stats

Los Alamitos, CA --The Wagner College women's water polo team lost a heartbreaker to Pomona-Pitzer in the seventh place game at the NCAA Championships by a count of 7-6. The loss puts Wagner's 2007 final record at 17-16. The eighth seeded Seahawks finished as their seeding predicted taking home eighth place at the championships.

The Sagehens struck first in this battle scoring with 4:01 remaining in the opening period to build a 1-0 advantage. Wagner retaliated in a hurry as senior Anne Wolkenhauer (Fullerton, CA/Fullerton) found the back of the net for her second tourney goal to tie the game at one on a Seahawk power play. Goals were few and far between after that as Pomona-Pitzer tallied a score late in the first period to go up 2-1. They would then score the only goal of the second period and pulled into halftime holding a 3-1 lead over the Green & White.

Wagner brought some tenacity to the second half after senior Stacey Travous (New Ulm, MN/Cumberland Valley) drew a five meter penalty which was converted by junior Billy Hoelck (San Diego, CA/U. of San Diego HS). The goal was the 100th of the season for Hoelck who would end with 102 on the year, a school record for goals in a season. The Sagehens came right back with a score but that was countered only seconds later when sophomore Nicole Maichrowicz (Temple City, CA/Temple City) dropped one in from outside with 5:37 to go in the third quarter.

Pomona-Pitzer would begin to pull away scoring back to back goals to end the third period, the latter of the two coming with just five seconds remaining in the quarter. The game moved to the fourth quarter with the Seahawks in the hole 6-3.

Again Wagner would muster a comeback effort when Hoelck lit the proverbial lamp to draw Wagner within two at 6-4. Junior Camille Karimzad (Walnut Creek, CA/Campolindo) then pulled a move off of the And1 Mix Tape by depositing a no-look shot into the net on a power play and Wagner was within just a goal at the 5:50 mark of the fourth.

The Sagehens and Seahawks battled back and forth for the next few minutes until Pomona-Pitzer scored a goal with 2:45 remaining in the game to hold a 7-5 lead. The Wagner defense buckled down and the Seahawks got the ball back, called a timeout, and set up play which resulted in Hoelck's third score of the afternoon. The deficit was down to one with just 49 seconds to play. Wagner forced the Sagehens to dump the ball with under 20 seconds remaining in the game, however their final offensive possession was snuffed out by a turnover and they would get no closer.

Wagner received another quality effort in goal from senior Katie Hauck (Pottsville, PA/Pottsville) who made two steals and added 11 shot denials. Hauck was one of five seniors playing their final game for Wagner today. Joining her was co-captain Stacey Travous, Wolkenhauer, Corrine Travous (New Ulm, MN/Cumberland Valley) and co-captain Natasha Peterson (Whittier, CA/La Habra). Corrine Travous recorded three steals on the day while Peterson tallied a steal and a drawn ejection. Wagner now holds an 0-6 record in NCAA Tournament play.