No. 15 IU competes in postseason

The No. 15 Hoosier water polo team will begin postseason play this week as they travel to Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., to compete in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Southern Division Championships. \nIn the CWPA's Southern Division there are a total of thirteen teams divided into four brackets. The Hoosiers are the top seed in their bracket, and the No. 3 seed overall. Rival Michigan is the top seed, followed by Princeton. \nThe team will begin the tournament today against Grove City, a team IU beat 12-1 in the last game of the regular season.\nVillanova is the final team in IU's bracket. The Hoosiers will play the Wildcats in the second round. Last year IU faced Villanova at the Southern Division as well, winning 19-5. \n"In the first two games we are looking to take care of business," coach Barry King said. "These two games are ones that will qualify us for the Eastern Championships, so if we play like we are supposed to, we will win."\nThe Hoosiers would of course like to win the Southern Division Championship, but the team will most likely advance whether they win or lose. In the CWPA there are two divisions, the Northern and the Southern. The top five teams in each division, plus two at-large teams advance to the Eastern Championships, April 25-27. \n"I am very excited to play in the championships," sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Goldner said. "They bring out a different level of play in all teams, including us, and I think we have a real chance to take it."\nAlthough this weekend is all about the team, senior Kristin Stanford is also looking to break her individual season scoring record of 66. Going into the weekend Stanford has 64 goals. Stanford said she is focused on the team and doing what it takes to win this weekend, not individual records. \n"I am very excited to play Princeton and Michigan," Stanford said. "The focus this weekend will be on team defense and finishing shots on offense."\nKing said he is confident in his team, but he is concerned about the health of the players. Many of the players have been sick and King said getting healthy will be the key to the weekend. \n"We have never had a span of injuries and illnesses like this, we are definitely not all 100 percent," King said. "To get through it and be successful we will need to have heart and desire"