In a season where storylines have been dominated by an influx of freshmen, the Michigan water polo team’s last regular-season game was decided by its seniors.

The Wolverines (2-1 CWPA Western Division, 16-12 overall) split their final regular-season series this weekend, coming away with two wins and falling in close games against two ranked opponents at the Brown Bear Invitational in Providence, R.I.

In the weekend’s final game on Sunday afternoon, the 15th-ranked Wolverines defeated host Brown 11-7, utilizing 13 saves from senior goalie Alex Adamson along with hat tricks from senior attacker Kiki Golden and senior two-meter Lauren Colton.

Earlier on Sunday, though, the Wolverines struggled with a stronger opponent. Against No. 3 Arizona State, Adamson’s eight saves and Golden’s pair of tallies weren’t enough to overcome the Sun Devils, who came away
with a 10-8 victory.

Much like games against other powerhouses earlier in the season — contests against San Diego State and San Jose State — the Wolverines came close but failed to finish in the fourth quarter.

“We had a chance,” Michigan coach Matt Anderson told MGoBlue.com. “We scored a couple 6-on-5s early, and shut down a couple of their 6-on-5s. We were able to stay with them the whole game because of that.

“It was a good showing. We were only one (or) two shots away from having an opportunity for overtime and maybe a victory.”

Despite the fact that Sunday’s clash with the Sun Devils was, rankings-wise, one of Michigan’s most important games of the year, Saturday’s game against Hartwick carried far more serious postseason implications. The CWPA Western Division contest was the Wolverines’ only conference game of the weekend and went a long way in determining the seeding for the CWPA Western Championships, set to begin on Saturday in Geneva, Ohio.

Despite the game’s gravity, Michigan failed to come out of the gate sharp, allowing four goals in the first quarter. Four goals in the fourth would seal the deal for the Hawks, who beat Michigan soundly, 10-6.

The Wolverines rebounded in Saturday’s late game, though, trouncing Cal State Bakersfield, 15-6. Golden contributed the first of her two hat tricks for the weekend, and freshman driver Presley Pender one-upped her senior teammate with four scores of her own.

As a result of the loss to Hartwick, the Wolverines will have to settle for second place in the CWPA Western Division, setting the stage for a first-round clash with rival Indiana, a rematch from a March 30 matchup in Bloomington when Michigan pull out an 8-7 overtime win.

"I’m happy with where the team is right now,” Anderson said. “We’re doing good things. We’re playing well; we just need to execute and finish a little bit better.”