Hoosiers split weekend matches, end streak

The IU water polo team started off its weekend by running its win streak to four games. Unfortunately, the weekend turned bad as the Hoosiers dropped their final two matches, losing by a total of two goals.\nThe No. 16 Hoosiers began their weekend by knocking off No. 19 Brown 5-4. Although down 3-1 after the first period, IU picked up its defense and allowed only one more goal the rest of the game. Freshman Sharna Nelson scored the game winning goal with 1:51 left. Senior Molly Fonner led the Hoosiers with two goals and three steals.\n"It was good for us to beat Brown," junior Kristin Stanford said. "They were the best team in the East last year."\nNelson said it was good the Hoosiers were able to keep the ball rolling from last weekend. Head coach Barry King was also pleased.\n"We played extremely well," King said. "We continued to do the things that we had done in the previous weekend. We controlled the match."\nIn its second match of the day, IU defeated conference foe Villanova by jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead and ended up winning 13-6. Fonner, Nelson, sophomore Kristen Jonikaitis and junior Jamie Marley all had two goals while five other tallied one.\nThe final match on Saturday pitted IU against the University of Massachusetts. The Hoosiers dropped a close one 10-9 after sophomore Kristy Streefkerk missed a tip-in. IU led 5-4 at halftime but gave up three straight goals to start the second half. Stanford led IU with three goals, two assists and two steals. Stanford said the team needed to play better defense. Nelson said it was the result of not executing.\n"We didn't play that well," Nelson said. "We didn't do what the coaches told us to do. We started the day on a high and ended low."\nOn Sunday, IU took on Princeton, which shares the No. 16 ranking with IU. Again the Hoosiers (4-8) dropped a close game by the score of 11-10. Freshman Krista Peterson scored a career high five goals to lead to Hoosiers. Fonner chipped in with three goals but was ejected with 4:14 remaining after receiving her third kick-out.\nThe Hoosiers led late in the game but were unable to hold on to the lead allowing three goals in the fourth period.\n"It frustrated us," Stanford said. "It makes us want to beat them even more later in the year."\nKing was disappointed in his teams' inability to hold late leads.\n"It's tough when we score 19 goals and not win," King said. "We gave up leads in the fourth quarter. We need to focus a little more and work on growing that lead."\nThe Hoosiers will be in action in two weeks at the Collegiate Water Polo Association Conference weekend. They will battle Grove City College, Washington and Jefferson, and Mercyherst on Saturday. They finish that weekend against Gannon.