ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of California, Merced women's water polo team finished the Michigan Invitational with an 0-4 record after falling 15-3 to Saint Francis University and 14-4 to #9 University of Michigan on Sunday.
Melanie Torres scored three of the Bobcats (2-18) seven goals on the day. Piper Ferris scored two goals and Liberty Hamilton deposited one shot into the back of the net.
Game One Saint Francis 15, UC Merced 3
UC Merced scored twice in the first quarter but recorded just one more goal the rest of the match. Hamilton was the Bobcats first goal scorer less than two minutes in that made it a 2-1 game. After three SFU goals, Torres got in the scoring column and it was 5-2 heading into the second quarter.
Saint Francis exploded for eight goals in the second quarter and shutout the Bobcats. Six different Saint Francis players scored with Emese Szucs and Sam Eschleman scoring twice in the period.
The teams combined for just three goals in the second half. Torres scored for the Bobcats early in the third quarter, while Saint Francis registered both of their second half goals in the fourth with their last goal coming inside of two minutes.
Szucs led the Red Flash overall with four goals.
Hope Stokes tallied 12 saves in the cage.
Game Two #9 Michigan 14, UC Merced 4
The Bobcats scored a goal every quarter against their highest ranked opponent in program history. Ferris tied the game 1-1 just over two minutes in, but then the Wolverines responded with a 10-1 run that stretched all the way into the third quarter. Torres was the Bobcats goal scorer. Michigan led 10-2 at halftime and then scored again midway through the third quarter to complete the surge.
Torres found the back of the net before the third quarter came to an end and then Ferris followed suit on the Bobcats first possession of the fourth to round out UC Merced's scoring. Both Torres and Ferris had a multi-goal match.
Michigan scored the final three goals of the day finishing off their 14-4 win.
Hope Stokes was credited with eleven saves.
Torres registered four straight multi-goal matches at the Michigan Invitational.
Up next, UC Merced will play Chapman University on Friday, March 29 in Orange, Calif. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm at Allred Aquatics Center.
