If the difficulty of conquering a task makes the conquest more fulfilling, then the MSU women’s water polo team may have achieved lifetime fulfillment in its water polo careers.
The Spartans needed overtime and two sudden-death frames to win their second Women’s National Collegiate Club Water Polo Championship in as many years.
Although trailing most of the game, MSU defeated California Poly State University 7-6 on May 5 at Emory University in Atlanta.
Graduate utility Stacie Jehl, who was a part of last year’s national championship team, said the thrill of a second championship is sweeter than the first.
“We knew Cal Poly would be tough,” Jehl said. “It’s a great feeling to go out on top again. To do it again is harder and much more fun and exciting than last year.”
With the score tied at six in the second sudden-death period, junior goalie Evelyn Warner blocked a 2-meter shot from the Mustangs, and started a fast break. After receiving the outlet pass from Warner, junior driver Carolyn Welch scored the game-winning goal on a 7-meter lob shot.
“We had been watching the goalie all weekend,” Welch said. “And I knew she played really far out. So I stopped and shot it over her head because I knew she wouldn’t be able to get to it.”
Welch’s goal won the title in the second sudden-death period, but it was the come-from-behind, overtime heroics that gave the Spartans a chance.
After a scoreless first overtime period, the Mustangs scored the first two goals of the second overtime making the score 6-4. With 1:20 remaining in the second overtime period and trailing by two, the Spartans were faced with the prospect of losing their second national championship game in three years, but they would not give up.
Senior utility Catherine Lilley quickly scored, giving her a hat trick and making the score 6-5 with 53 seconds left. Her performance helped solidify Most Valuable Player and All-Tournament First Team honors.
“When that goal went in we were like, ‘We’re in this game,’” Lilley said. “After that, we just thought about what we had to do next to win.”
With 35 seconds left on the shot clock, MSU knew it would get one more opportunity to send the game into sudden death.
The Mustangs took a quick shot on a power-play opportunity and the Spartans raced the other way.
After an outlet from Warner, graduate Leah Kropf passed the ball to junior driver Alicia DeMarco who earned a penalty shot for her team after being fouled from behind by a Mustang player.
Jehl converted the penalty shot with 10 seconds remaining in overtime to send the game into sudden death. It was her second goal of the game and the Spartans second goal in a 70-second span.
“I’m used to taking those shots,” Jehl said. “All I had to do was shoot hard and I knew it would go in.”
