Water polo makes historic start to season

IU’s offense has been nearly unstoppable, the team scoring at least 10 goals in all six games played this year.

“Our team is playing very well together and the chemistry is evident in some of the plays we executed this weekend,” junior utility player Rebecca Gerrity said.

The No. 13 Hoosiers returned home to Bloomington with a 6-0 record after four wins in Providence, R.I.

It is the best start to an IU season since 1998, when the team won five of their opening six games.

IU took on Brown first and won easily, 17-6. The Hoosiers never looked back after senior attacker Shae Fournier scored a goal on IU’s first possession.

At halftime, IU led 10-2.

Brown committed three turnovers to start the third quarter as each possession ended in a steal by junior attacker Colleen McNaught. She ended the match with five assists, which was tied for the IU record. This is the second time McNaught has recorded five assists in a game, the first being a 2012 game against Santa Clara.

Sophomore center Candyce Schroder finished the match with a career-high four goals, an assist and a steal, making this the second time in three games she has scored at least three goals in a match.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Gaudreault finished with 8 saves.

The Hoosiers played No. 19 Hartwick next.

IU beat their conference foe by a score of 11-5. At halftime the Hoosiers led 7-0.

Once again, Fournier scored first for the Hoosiers. She finished with four goals in four attempted shots, while adding four steals.

McNaught recorded her 100th assist for the Hoosiers.

Gaudreault finished with 13 saves which ties her career high she set last year against Long Beach State.

“Tomorrow we expect to come out and win again and prove that we are the best team in East,” senior defender Amanda Redfern said.

Wagner was the third opponent the Hoosiers faced in the Brown Invitational.

IU easily took care of Wagner, overcoming a sloppy start to win 15-5.

Fournier scored the Hoosiers’ first goal for the third consecutive game.

IU was up 8-4 at the half after a second goal scored by Gerrity. She scored four goals, with senior attacker Allison Campbell adding three goals.

Gaudreault recorded 11 saves on 23 shot attempts.

Finally, the Hoosiers played No. 20 Pacific and won 15-9.

Campbell made her first start of the season, replacing junior utility player Shelby Taylor.

The Tigers scored first and the game remained tight, with IU leading 6-4 at halftime.
Campbell scored five goals, the fifth time in her career she has done so, while Taylor scored three goals. McNaught added three assists while Gaudreault saved five Tiger shots.

IU Assistant Coach Zach White said he was pleased with IU’s performance throughout the weekend and will expect more from the team going forward.

“Bottom line, we had a successful weekend and won,” White said. “Good news is we still have a lot of room for improvement with this team, and that bodes well for the end of the season.”