Michigan (#15) hosted Women’s Water Polo at the Wolverine Invitational this past weekend. The Orange and Blue opened up strong Saturday morning against Mercyhurst. Four different players scored in the first period alone to establish a 5-1 lead. Izzy Lippolis ʼ25 contributed two points.
Gwen Kallmeyer ʼ26 led with two goals in the second period of the game to help boost the team’s lead heading into the half.
The Bison ran away with the lead in the third period after outscoring their opponents 7-0. Sidney Finkler ʼ25 and Boati Motau ʼ25 added one goal each. Ashley Hopper ʼ28 and Olivia Hopper ʼ28 each had two.
Mercyhurst managed to score two goals in the final period but struggled to cut the deficit. Rhys Beutler ʼ28 scored the lone Bison goal in the final period of the game. The final score of the game was 16-5.
The Orange and Blue faced their hosts later Saturday afternoon. Michigan went up four goals off the bat. A. Hopper scored the team’s only goal of the first period.
The second quarter continued similarly, with Michigan netting five and Bucknell adding two. A. Hopper and O. Hopper scored one each as well. Over the next three periods, Michigan continued to run up the score with five more goals. The final Bison goals came from O. Hopper, Beutler and Bella Schraa ʼ26.
On the final day of the Wolverine Invitational, the Bison faced Salem and CWPA opponent Saint Francis. O. Hopper was the star of the day with eight goals to support the team’s offense.
Salem was up 3-2 after the first quarter. The Bison’s two goals both came from O. Hopper.
The match took a turn in the Bison’s favor in the second quarter. O. Hopper scored two more goals, accompanied by one from Motau and one from Campbell Collins ʼ27.
Both teams scored two goals in the third and fourth periods. In the final period, Salem managed to come within one goal of the Bison. O. Hopper and Caitlin Stott ʼ27 netted the two final goals to seal the deal on the 10-7 victory. Tamara Torkos ʼ27 ended with 14 saves to assist the win.
The Bison wrapped up the weekend against Saint Francis. Eight different players contributed to the team’s 15 total goals.
In the first period, the Orange and Blue jumped to a 4-1 lead. Saint Francis managed to net three goals in the following period to inch closer. However, the Bison’s offense combined for three goals.
A. Hopper and Finkler helped the Bison grow their lead to 11-5. As the clock neared the end of regulation, the Red Flash only trailed by three. Kallmeyer found the back of the net twice to end the game with a final score of 15-10.
The Bison will be back in the water in Ann Arbor, Mich. on April 6.
