Water polo tam finishes seventh
Special to The Observer
Playing for the first time ever in both an outdoor pool and a national championship venue, the Men's Water Polo team finished seventh nationally in Tucson this weekend.
Drawing number two seed Richmond in the opening round overmatched, by the narrowest of margins. The Spiders were a varsity program last year, and are still comprised of scholarship athletes. A valiant effort fell short as the Irish were unable to protect their 2-1 lead, falling 3-2. As he has all season, Matt McNicholas led the Irish as he fired both shots that found the back of the net. In the next round the Irish overwhelmed Western Illinois 8-0.
Due to a schedule quirk, the Irish were the only team to have to play a third game on Saturday, and a depleted team fell to Michigan State 6-2. The Spartans had defeated defending national champion Michigan in the Big 10 tournament to earn their spot in the nationals.
On Sunday, the Irish played an exceptional game in outlasting a fired up Cadet squad from West Point, defeating Army 9-6. Cal Poly won the tournament, edging Richmond in the finals. The best showing in Notre Dame history bodes well for the future, as only two starters graduate this year.
Ultimate Frisbee
The Ultimate Club's women were in action this weekend, compiling a 3-1 record at the Oberlin Invitational. The team swept through intercollegiate action, defeating Northwestern 9-4, Indiana 11-3, and Oberlin 12-5. The lone blemish came in a loss to a combined team of Purdue and adult club players. With regular season play coming this spring, the Irish have served notice they will be one of the midwest's top programs.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, November 9, 1999
