2008 Woodie Awards
Water polo ends final season on high note
By Josh Rizzo
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Sports
Heading into the Collegiate Water Polo Association Western Division Championships, Slippery Rock women's water polo (4-16, 1-6 CWPA) team knew their days were numbered. The only way for the program to stay alive was for the team to keep winning.
But despite the team's efforts, they finished in 7th place at the tournament hosted by Grove City College.
In the first round, SRU was forced to face off against No. 18 nationally ranked Indiana University.
The Hoosiers had already defeated the Rock 13-5 on April 6 and were heavy favorites to beat SRU.
IU lived up to their ranking beating SRU 22-5. The Hoosiers finished second in the tournament, losing in the championship to the Michigan Wolverines.
Despite the lopsided loss, Coach Jim Yeamans thought the team played a good game.
"We had to play a tough opponent in IU in the first round," said Yeamans. "But these ladies never quit and they played hard until the end."
Junior Beth Choike scored three goals to lead the Rock's attack against the Hoosiers.
The Rock then faced off against Washington and Jefferson, who beat Yeamans squad 9-7 earlier in the season.
SRU gave W& J all it could handle, but were unable to pull out a victory, dropping a heartbreaking 9-8 decision which set up a match against Penn State-Behrend for 7th place.
Senior Beth Choike put some of the blame for the loss to W&J on herself.
"I had one penalty shot and missed. If that went in, we could have went into overtime," said Choike.
The Rock's match-up with the Lions was a favorable one.
They defeated PSU-Behrend 11-6 on March 25 in what would be their last ever victory at the Morrow Field House Pool.
After beating the Lions that night, SRU had gone on a seven game losing streak.
However, in the last game ever in the history of SRU women's water polo, the team managed to pull out one final victory.
Juniors Heather Walbright and Betsy Wilson combined with senior Ashley Goodwill helped the program go out on a positive note.
The trio combined to score 11 of the team's 15 goals in a 15-7 victory.
Wilson and Goodwill both scored three goals, while Walbright added five.
The end of the game against PSU-Behrend brought an era to an end for women's water polo.
They are one of the only team's in SRU history to win a national championship, which they accomplished in 1995-1996.
"The win was an emotional one," said Yeamans. "This team has been up against amazing odds and has never quit. I have never been more proud of a group of ladies in my coaching career."
Choike believes the team's performance in their final season was courageous and SRU's administration made a mistake by cutting the program.
"We did our best representing the school, even though we were cut," Choike said. "If any of the administration sat in on any of our game this season, they would see how much spirit our team has. I don't think they would have cut us if they did just that."
But despite the team's efforts, they finished in 7th place at the tournament hosted by Grove City College.
In the first round, SRU was forced to face off against No. 18 nationally ranked Indiana University.
The Hoosiers had already defeated the Rock 13-5 on April 6 and were heavy favorites to beat SRU.
IU lived up to their ranking beating SRU 22-5. The Hoosiers finished second in the tournament, losing in the championship to the Michigan Wolverines.
Despite the lopsided loss, Coach Jim Yeamans thought the team played a good game.
"We had to play a tough opponent in IU in the first round," said Yeamans. "But these ladies never quit and they played hard until the end."
Junior Beth Choike scored three goals to lead the Rock's attack against the Hoosiers.
The Rock then faced off against Washington and Jefferson, who beat Yeamans squad 9-7 earlier in the season.
SRU gave W& J all it could handle, but were unable to pull out a victory, dropping a heartbreaking 9-8 decision which set up a match against Penn State-Behrend for 7th place.
Senior Beth Choike put some of the blame for the loss to W&J on herself.
"I had one penalty shot and missed. If that went in, we could have went into overtime," said Choike.
The Rock's match-up with the Lions was a favorable one.
They defeated PSU-Behrend 11-6 on March 25 in what would be their last ever victory at the Morrow Field House Pool.
After beating the Lions that night, SRU had gone on a seven game losing streak.
However, in the last game ever in the history of SRU women's water polo, the team managed to pull out one final victory.
Juniors Heather Walbright and Betsy Wilson combined with senior Ashley Goodwill helped the program go out on a positive note.
The trio combined to score 11 of the team's 15 goals in a 15-7 victory.
Wilson and Goodwill both scored three goals, while Walbright added five.
The end of the game against PSU-Behrend brought an era to an end for women's water polo.
They are one of the only team's in SRU history to win a national championship, which they accomplished in 1995-1996.
"The win was an emotional one," said Yeamans. "This team has been up against amazing odds and has never quit. I have never been more proud of a group of ladies in my coaching career."
Choike believes the team's performance in their final season was courageous and SRU's administration made a mistake by cutting the program.
"We did our best representing the school, even though we were cut," Choike said. "If any of the administration sat in on any of our game this season, they would see how much spirit our team has. I don't think they would have cut us if they did just that."
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