Women's Water Polo | 4/29/2016 5:10:00 PM

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Sixth-seeded Hartwick (16-12) finished the game on a 6-1 run to turn a 4-4 game early in the third quarter into a 10-5 victory over third-seeded Bucknell on Friday in a CWPA quarterfinal played at Harvard University's Blodgett Pool. With the victory, the Hawks advance to tomorrow's semifinal against the second seed, Indiana University, a 10-4 winner over Brown.
             
The game's Most Valuable Player, Zsofia Polak (Dunaujvaros, Hungary/Rudas HS) scored three straight goals for the Hawks in the second and third quarters. Lauren Brennan (Canberra, Australia/St. Clares College) and L.J. Edwards (Encinitas, CA/Cathedral Catholic) combined for the final four goals for 'Wick over the final 8:22 of the game.
           
Brittany Tait (Kariong, Australia/Harry Kendall HS) would break the ice for the Hawks 1:22 into the contest with a goal assisted by Katie McKenty (Auckland, New Zealand/Takapuna Grammar School). The Bison tied the score 1:37 later, but Nikolina Mihajlovik (Mississauga, ONT/Silverthorn Collegiate Inst.) retook the lead for the Hawks at 4:40 of the first quarter.
           
Bucknell evened the match at 2-2 at the 2:25 mark. Charlotte Cottle (Blakehurst, Australia/Presbyterian Ladies College) made it a 3-2 game at 1:58 before the Bison evened it up again 33 seconds later, and the two teams were even after one quarter, 3-3.
           
Polak would register the only goal of the second quarter at 2:14. Senior goalie Michaela Davies (Cronulla, Australia/Kirawee) stopped five Bison shots in the quarter to help the Hawks head into halftime up 5-4.
           
Tegan Stanbach scored on the power-play for Bucknell 40 seconds into the third quarter to tie the game for the final time. Polak's power-play goal put the Hawks ahead for good at the 5:55 mark. She added her second goal 1:28 later and Brennan added to the Hawks' total with 22 seconds remaining.
           
In the fourth quarter, Marta Considine scored her second goal with 7:05 left in the game to trim the gap to two, 7-5. Edwards then netted back-to-back goals 1:11 apart to push the advantage to four, 9-5. Brennan closed the game out with her second tally with 2:33 left to play.
           
Tait, McKenty, and Cottle each finished the game with a pair of assists. Davies made 13 saves in 30:31 of action. She stopped nine shots in the second and third quarters. Josette Santos (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison) played the final 1:29 and made three saves.

           
With the win, the Hawks advance to the conference semifinals for the twelfth time in the last 13 seasons. The Hawks and Hoosiers will play for a berth in the finals Saturday at 3 p.m.
           
Hartwick and Indiana have played seven times in the CWPA playoffs with the Hoosiers winning five of the meetings. The two teams have played in the semifinals five times with the Hawks winning in 2004 and 2007. IU advanced over the Hawks in 2005, 2010, and 2011. The pair last met in the 2013 third-place game with Indiana earning a 14-9 win.
           
In the only previous meeting this season on April 17, Hartwick lost to Indiana 11-7 at Princeton. The Hawks, who are 8-18 against the Hoosiers all-time, will be looking for their first conference finals appearance since the 2009 campaign.