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Haws Nets Hat-Trick as No. 12 Utah Edges No. 9 Grand Valley State 6-5 for Slot in National Collegiate Club Ninth Place Game
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Emily Haws (So., Redlands, Calif.) scored three goals to lead all scorers as No. 12-ranked Utah edged No. 9 Grand Valley State 6-5 to advance to the ninth place game at the 2010 Women's National Collegiate Club Championship at the University of Arizona.
The victory moves the Utes into a ninth place showdown against the host and No. 15-ranked Wildcats of the University of Arizona at 10:15 a.m. tomorrow morning, while GVSU will meet No. 17 Middlebury College in the 11th place contest at 9:00 a.m.
In a game which was nip-tuck from the opening sprint to the closing horn, Utah never trailed opening up a 1-0 lead and overcoming a litany of Lakers' comeback bids to survive and move on to the placement round of the tournament.
Lauren Roth (So., Salt Lake City, Utah) opened the scoring for Utah beating Grand Valley State netminder Kim Arnold (Sr., Grand Haven, Mich.) with a deke, drive and dump shot which found its way into the cage at the 3:05 mark of the first period. The Lakers responded courtesy the hand and arm of Michelle Clancy (Sr., Portage, Mich.) who connected on a shot to tie the game with 30 seconds remaining in the opening frame.
The pattern continued to start the second period as Haws netted her first tally of the day at the 6:38 mark and Katelyn Clancy (Sr., Portage, Mich.) equaled her sister in game-tying scores with 3:45 left in the first half. However, the game remained tied for less than two mintues as Megan Raby (Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah) crashed towards the cage and found a hole in the defense for her first dent in the twine on the afternoon for a 3-2 lead at the break.
The margin expanded to 5-2 midway through the third period as Haws scored on a man-up chance at the 4:42 mark and Katie Maasberg (Sr., Salt Lake City, Utah) converted on a breakdown in the Lakers' defense with 3:40 showingon the clock.
Grand Valley State closed the deficit to a pair of tallies before the end of the period as Jackie Dunten (Sr., East Grand Rapids, Mich.) eluded her defender and made the Wildcats' pay for their mistake with a blast on a man-up opportunity with 30 seconds left before the climatic fourth period.
Leading by two with seven minutes to play, the utes appeared to add a meaningless cushion goal by Haws to push the lead back to three markers with 4:17 on the clock. However, the Lakers scoring tide came back to nearly bite Arizona as Michelle Clancy cashed in on an exclusion chance with 2:06 to play before Ashley Mulder (Jr., Saline, Mich.) made the cushion goal have more meaning than originally thought with a tally of her own with 1:25 to play.
Needing a stop to keep the Lakers from forcing overtime, the Utes' defense delivered to hold on for the one goal victory.
Overall, this will mark Utah's lowest finish ever at the National Collegiate Club Championship as the team previously placed eighth (2009), sixth (2006), fourth (2004) and sixth (2002) in four prior trips to the sport of collegiate water polo's most inclusive dance.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -- | Final | |
| No. 12 University of Utah | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | -- | 6 |
| No. 9 Grand Valley State University | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -- | 5 |
GVSU Goals: Michelle Clancy (2); Kathelyn Clancy; Ashley Mulder; Jackie Dunten
Utah Goals: Emily Haws (3); Megan Raby; Katie Maasber; Lauren Roth
Saves: GVSU - Kim Arnold (10) ; Utah - Lou Canfield (4)
Exclusions: GVSU - 3 ; Utah -5
Advantage Opportunities: GVSU - 2-for-5 ; Utah - 1-for-3
Sprints: Utah - 1-for-4 ; GVSU - 3-for-4
